Tornberg: 'we have a lot of work to do'

It's been worse.

When George McGovern rose to prominence in South Dakota there were only two Democrats in the legislature and none held a statewide office.

Ann Tornberg, elected last month as chairwoman of the South Dakota Democratic Party, told the group of 17 that in this new year, when there are only 20 Democrats among the 105 legislators meeting in the Capitol in Pierre, it will take grassroots organizing by everyone to bring the party back to relevance. It’s been worse, and the same things that worked for the party back then can again, said Tornberg, who is 59 and from Beresford. Much of her time is spent fund-raising, she said. There is $60,000 in the kitty and 163 people who have pledged monthly donations to the state Party, including one of her former students. [Stephan Lee, Pierre Capital Journal]

Democratic strategist Bajun Mavalwalla appeared on the Sioux Falls Argus Leader webcast 100 Eyes.

The House just voted to dismantle the progress we've made on fixing the broken immigration system. We need better. http://t.co/CR4eqRThRW
— OFA SD (@OFA_SD) January 14, 2015

17,000+ South Dakotans have signed up for health insurance during current enrollment season of Affordable Care Act. http://t.co/8nefVqIRRK
— argusleader (@argusleader) January 14, 2015