The South Dakota GOP reports fewer than $100 in donations brought in on its federal filings for the third straight month. Party leadership remains hopeful, but lack of funds could impact the state convention.
The state’s supermajority party has seen a slow end to the year in its federal account. However, the party’s full financial standing isn’t entirely hashed out yet. State filings should come in February.
Federal Election Commission data shows at the start of December the GOP has nearly $35,000 cash on hand. The state Democratic Party’s federal account shows over $64,000 cash on hand.
Filings show a $9,000 transfer from the SDGOP's state account in December and $4,800 in October. The party has transferred nearly $20,000 this year. That has some GOP supporters worried.
Jim Eschenbaum is chair of the SD GOP. In an interview with SDPB, he said his biggest concern is looking ahead to the coming summer and the 2026 election.
“The biggest question with the convention committee is whether the convention attendees are going to have to pay for their own meals or not," Eschenbaum said. "If we pay for their meals, we need about $130-150,000 to make convention happen. If we make them pay for their own meals at convention, we can do convention for about $50,000 or $60,000.”
Eschenbaum said he’d like to be able to fund those meals for people in attendance. He said he doesn’t have an exact timeline for when that funding is needed but estimated at least a month out so the host venue can prepare in advance. Eschenbaum said he believes they'll be able to reach the necessary mark to provide meals at the state convention.
He said he’s heard from other states who’ve had similar issues, largely because of the way donors are spending.
“Fundraising is tough. I was in Miami in May for spring training, RNC spring training, and I stood up in front of that assembly all 50 states and I says, ‘Hey what do you guys do to raise money for your state party? And when I asked that question another state chairman came up to me afterwards,” Eschenbaum said. “And they all said, ‘It sucks. Nobody wants to donate to state parties anymore. They donate to PACs, Super PACs, individual candidates, whatever it is. They don’t donate to the state parties like they used to.’”
Eschenbaum said while that’s hard on the party, it does show that people are more involved with the government rather than “trusting just the party.” He said the party is sitting "pretty good" between their three accounts: the party's state account, federal account and fundraising account.
The GOP has held some fundraising events, including a gun raffle drawing that the party is holding through October 2026. As of Dec. 17, the party's website showed 578 tickets sold. Eschenbaum said tickets are selling "daily" and that some of those dollars might not have been accounted on this month's FEC filing.
"We only compile that information once every four weeks," Eschenbaum said. "I'm guessing that there probably wasn't donations that came in. Most of our donations right now are donations to are fund raffle that's going on. Those collections probably missed this month's filing."
SDPB reached out to SD GOP Treasurer Rep. Tina Mulally repeatedly about the funds, when they will be reflected on FEC filings, if donations are being made to the state account and other questions. Mullally's only response via text message was "Our fundraising efforts will continue."
