Meet Jeff Marlette. He’ll pose an impressive, possibly daunting GOP primary challenge to District 33’s Phil Jensen
District 33 Representative Phil Jensen a few days ago alienated his fellow Republicans in the legislature to the point where he has been temporarily kicked out of the GOP caucus.
Though intra-party feuding is nothing new in politics, Jensen’s banishment is something more than just a conventional feud. What went down in Pierre is outright ostracism, and, as if the rebuke coming from his peers in the legislature isn’t nasty enough, it’s just the latest in his history of criticism from within GOP circles.
Republican-friendly Pat Powers in a posting in his blog Dakota War College once said of Jensen as a possible delegate to the ‘24 GOP national convention that he “might be the worst role model to represent South Dakota Republicans.” That assessment was followed by a list of particulars that concluded with the observation that Jensen would “portray to the rest of the nation that we are a bunch of backwater redneck crazy uncles who might be racists.”
My guess is that in addition to numerous legislators who have lost their patience with him in Pierre, many of Jensen’s District 33 constituents are ready for a change and would welcome a suitable replacement.
If that’s the case, they’re probably hoping for an alternative candidate whose professional background and political values make him a GOP-acceptable successor to Jensen.
As it happens, such an individual exists and wants the job. His name is Jeff Marlette and he’s running for District 33’s state representative.
Marlette has a strong professional and military background. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in the field of education, and has worked in state and federal governments. He held a cabinet post during Kristi Noem’s stint as governor and worked as Sen. Mike Rounds’ West River Director. His training in public education led him to a career as a superintendent in various South Dakota school districts.
Along the way, after 36 years of service in the South Dakota Army National Guard, combat veteran Marlette retired as a U.S. Army Major General. His service included a 15 month deployment in Iraq, where he commanded an artillery battalion.
If you’re a Republican, a review of his campaign literature will probably reassure you that Marlette, who calls himself a “common sense conservative,” will be a faithful representative of your party’s ideals and inclinations.
And, if you’re like me and want to see the District 33 drama die down and maybe go away completely, you’ll appreciate Marlette’s campaign message: “It’s time for a change.”
Marlette’s your chance to make that change happen.
John Tsitrian is a businessman and writer from the Black Hills. He was a weekly columnist for the Rapid City Journal for 20 years. His articles and commentary have also appeared in The Los Angeles Times, The Denver Post and The Omaha World-Herald. Tsitrian served in the Marines for three years (1966-69), including a 13-month tour of duty as a radioman in Vietnam. Republish with permission.
Photo: courtesy Jeff Marlette
The South Dakota Standard is offered freely and is supported by our readers. We have no political or commercial sponsorship. If you'd like to help us continue our mission to advance independent political and social commentary, you can do so by clicking on the "Donate" button that's on the sidebar to your right.
