The Scouting Lounge

Sen. Mike Rounds joins Joe Sneve and Jonathan Ellis to talk about his bid for a third term. The discussion includes AI regulation, why property rights proponents had legitimate grievances about carbon pipelines, saving Ellsworth Air Force Base, the B-21 Raider schedule and the war in Iran.

U.S. House candidate Nikki Gronli joins Jonathan Ellis and Joe Sneve to discuss her campaign across South Dakota, the challenges facing rural communities and her approach to getting things done in Washington. The conversation covers local meat processing, physician residency funding, Social Security reform, bipartisan cooperation and what she's hearing from voters as she works to visit all 66 counties.

Then, Ellis and Sneve talk theater with Premiere Playhouse leaders Oliver Mayes and Emma Madeja, previewing Goosebumps the Musical and discussing the organization's history, upcoming productions and community education programs.

Episode highlights

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After nearly three decades leading the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Mike Milstead is preparing to call it a career, handing the badge and the responsibility of leadership to Sheriff-elect Josh Phillips.

On this episode of The Scouting Lounge, Milstead and Phillips join the conversation to reflect on a remarkable career in law enforcement, the legacy of leadership built over nearly 30 years, and the transition to a new chapter for the Sheriff’s Office. Milstead’s decision to step down about six weeks earlier than anticipated speaks volumes about the confidence he has in the man ready to take his place.

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Joe and Jon take the show on the road in the second segment of the episode — an undisclosed location in downtown Sioux Falls where they talk about the news of the week over beverages:

Sen. Mark Lapka’s DUI charge + Brian Bengs’ demand that a political attack be taken off the broadcast airwaves in South Dakota + changes coming for the downtown Sioux Falls parking system.

Check out all past shows by visiting the podcast archive.

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On this episode of The Scouting Lounge, Joe Sneve and Jonathan Ellis sit down with three South Dakota voices at the center of the state’s political debates.

Elizabeth Schenkel, external affairs for Community Healthcare Association of the Dakotas speaking in opposition to Constitutional Amendment I, discusses the measure, which would condition South Dakota’s constitutional requirement to provide expanded Medicaid coverage on the level of federal funding available for the program.

Ned Horstad with “L-No” discusses Constitutional Amendment L, which would raise the approval threshold for future amendments to the South Dakota Constitution from a simple majority to 60 percent of votes cast.

And U.S. Senate candidate Brian Bengs talks about his campaign and his challenge to Republican Sen. Mike Rounds.

Check out all past shows by visiting the podcast archive.

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The GOP nominee for South Dakota Secretary of State is Heather Baxter, an outgoing state lawmaker from the Black Hills. She discusses what it'll take to find integrity in the election system, her successor and fellow Republican endorsing her Democratic opponent, Terrence Davis, and connecting with county auditors.

 Check out all past shows by visiting the podcast archive.

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The GOP nominee for South Dakota Public Utilities Commission is Don Haggar, a former lawmaker and director with Americans for Prosperity, talks about the irony in running to be a regulator after a lifetime of support for de-regulation.

He and Joe Sneve also talk data centers, AI, grain pricing and campaign travel. Also, Jonathan Ellis returns from a long-overdue vacation and catches up on the news of the week, including the spike in DWIs in Sioux Falls and the recusal of a judge in an election integrity case involving Sen. Tom Pischke.

Did you miss last week’s episode of The Scouting Lounge? Check out all past shows by visiting the podcast archive.

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Legendary Democratic lawmaker Frank Kloucek returns to the Lounge, this time as a candidate for the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission.

Reporter Todd Epp, a regular contributor to The Dakota Scout, also makes a special appearance.

With Scout founders Joe Sneve and Jonathan Ellis, the men discuss the 2026 election, the 25 year anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, and take a walk down memory lane to discuss horse slaughter and smoking ban legislation of yesteryear.

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Sioux Falls City Councilor James Oppenheimer makes his debut visit to the Scouting Lounge studio and discusses AI, data centers, Flock cameras, soccer and keeping a positive attitude when taking heat from passionate constituents.

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Benjamin Nesselhuf, a former South Dakota lawmaker and state Democratic Party leader, talks about the legal cannabis industry and the regulatory climate governing his dispensaries in Minnesota and South Dakota.

Fauci culpability debate

The Dakota Scout, Collegian Media -South Dakota State University's student-run newspaper & First Bank & Trust team up with South Dakota's future, young journalists in mind.

DID YOU MISS LAST WEEK’S SCOUTING LOUNGE?

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