YANKTON (AP) - South Dakota Democrats wrapped up their state convention Saturday after nominating candidates for several constitutional offices, adopting their party platform and receiving a $200,000 donation from retiring U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson.
Convention delegates nominated Yankton native David Allen, who ran for the state Senate in District 18 in 2012, to run for the seat on the Public Utilities Commission, according to WNAX radio. Delegates also selected Denny Pierson of Sioux Falls to seek the state treasurer position and Angela Schultz, a former Pentagon official and teacher at Presentation College, to run for secretary of state.
Delegates didn't nominate candidates for attorney general, auditor or commissioner of school and public lands.
Among the resolutions adopted Saturday was one apologizing to President Barack Obama for the state's Republican Party, which had passed a resolution at its convention last week in Rapid City calling for his impeachment.
Johnson, who is finishing his final term in the U.S. Senate after having served South Dakota since 1997, announced Friday night that he would transfer the remaining funds from his political action committee to the state party.
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"With growing donor rolls, increased activism, and new engagement programs, our party is well situated to win in 2014 and many election cycles to come," said Party Chair Deb Knecht. "Tim saw the fruits of our hard work and now wants to make sure we continue building well into the future."
Other candidates who attended the banquet Friday night included U.S. Senate hopeful Rick Weiland, gubernatorial candidate Susan Wismer and congressional candidate Corrina Robinson.
