HURON – Democrats have a good chance of winning elections on many levels in 2018 and, in fact, could defeat Republicans by campaigning solely on health care alone, Dakota Free Press blogger Cory Heidelberger said Thursday.
But no matter what issues candidates choose to run on next year – be they health care, election hacking or immigration to name a few – he said they must be approached with passion and conviction and without fear.
In a speech at the District 22 Democratic Forum, he shared his ideas on how he thinks Democrats can win.
“Now, of course, the warning that has to be given is I’m the last guy to stand here and tell anybody how to win an election because I haven’t won one yet,” Heidelberger said.
He came up short in two school board elections when living in Madison, and last year he lost his challenge to Republican Sen. Al Novstrup in District 3 in Aberdeen.
Still, he said coaching debate at Montrose – a school with just 80 students – against teams in Watertown, Aberdeen and Sioux Falls Lincoln taught him how to fight the good fight and take on what seem to be insurmountable odds.
“We mustn’t be afraid of stating our position confidently and boldly and saying in no uncertain terms that (Rep.) Kristi (Noem), (Attorney General) Marty (Jackley), (Rep.) Al (Novstrup) and (President) Donald you are wrong, and not just wrong, but you are bad for the country on the positions you’re taking on all of those issues,” Heidelberger said.
With health care, Republicans are risking direct harm to insurance policyholders, to the sick, old and young, he said.
He reminded his audience that President Trump has promised insurance coverage for everyone, with better and cheaper care.
“Not one word of the plan that Kristi Noem voted for in May moves us toward insurance for everybody, better care or cheaper care,” Heidelberger said.
Nor does the plan that is pending in the Senate, delayed until after the Fourth of July recess, he said.
Democrats as a party should stand up and say stop, he said. The Affordable Care Act is insuring millions more people than were insured seven years ago when it was implemented. They are paying lower premiums than they would have otherwise, and there are a lot of measures for accountability to make sure they’re getting better care, he said.

There is also maternity, prescription drug and preventive care coverage, he said.
“They’re getting policies that they couldn’t have gotten for this price seven years ago,” Heidelberger said.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate and state Sen. Billie Sutton of Burke could run solely on health care because health care and health insurance hit every South Dakotan in the pocketbook, Heidelberger said.
Meanwhile, he said the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity asked secretaries of state last week for records on every registered voter, including address, military status, voting history and the last four digits of their Social Security number.
“Identity theft anyone?” Heidelberger said. “You give me your name, your phone number and your last four digits of your Social Security number, I’m going to be buying myself a fancy car on your credit card, or at least some fancy shoes, by the end of the day.”
South Dakota Secretary of State Shantel Krebs refused to release the information. Much of it is public information in South Dakota for a fee.
Trump has alleged, without evidence, that millions voted illegally in the 2016 election.
Heidelberger said Trump has no respect for the security of voter registration lists. He said the real threat is election hacking.
“That’s an issue a Democrat can win on, protecting our ballot,” he said.
By their nature, South Dakotans tend to be nice and polite, always willing to share rhubarb pie and not make a fuss, he said.
But he said members of the ruling party in the White House, Congress, governor’s office and state Legislature are proposing policies that undermine basic American principles.
“We don’t have to pull punches,” Heidelberger said. “We can still say, ‘here, have some rhubarb pie,’ and in the next moment say, ‘you are dead wrong about this policy and we need to change it. We shouldn’t be afraid to be completely honest about our principles.”