Bret Swanson : Blog

Notes from the Campaign Trail

Dec. 4, 2022 I have said too many times that to run as a democrat in western South Dakota you have to be different, whatever that...

Notes from the Campaign Trail

Nov. 26, 2022 Now, nearly three weeks after the election, I have gained enough perspective to speak dispassionately about my loss. ...

Notes from the Campaign Trail

Nov. 20, 2022 It’s been nearly two weeks since election day and I have yet to concede. As election day approached, I joked that...

Notes from the Campaign Trail

Nov. 15 To no one’s surprise, including me, I lost. I received about 17% of the total votes cast, coming in third of three. District 30...

Notes from the Campaign Trail

Nov. 7, 2022 As I said, I participated in only one forum during the entire campaign. For various reasons, that forum was a total flop. ...

Notes from the Campaign Trail

Nov. 6 In May, at the McGovern-Roosevelt Day dinner, at the Crazy Horse Memorial restaurant, things got real for me regarding the...

Notes from the Campaign Trail

Nov. 4 A couple of months ago, Lori Walsh from South Dakota Public Broadcasting interviewed me. She talked to me, like every other...

Notes from the Campaign Trail

I should have and probably will post my all my earlier entries. If I had been quicker to create a website, I would not have to do this...

Notes from the Campaign Trail

With the campaign season coming to a close I have three takeaways. First, while running for office has been time-consuming and...

Notes from the Campaign Trail

I wrote the following entry in April of 2022. It has been a month since I submitted my signature petitions to run for a seat in the South...