South Dakota is a deep red state, and has been for many decades. The last time we have given our electoral votes to a Democrat was in 1964. South Dakota didn't even go for our own Senator, the Democrat George McGovern, when he ran for President in 1972. The State House is 83% Republican, the State Senate is 77%. Our Governor in Pierre, and our two Senators and our one Representative out in Washington are all proud members of the GOP. South Dakota has not always been this way.

Many modern political movements have (re)adopted Progressivism, an ideology that serves as a direct analogue to the Conservative ideology of the GOP. Progressive, as an adjective, could also apply to something that is ahead of its time. While "progressive" may seem to be an inappropriate way to describe our state, South Dakota has led the United States in many firsts, like the first elected female Senator or the first state to adopt the initiated measure. Many of these first elected officials would not be considered "Progressive" when considering their policy, but the act of electing them was progressive in its own right. Our state has been, historically, progressive when designing government and when electing officials from both the left and the right.

Ballot measures can be contentious, but the idea of the people directly influencing the laws would've been unheard of before our state constitution allowed for both initiated measures and popular referenda. These methods, adopted in 1898, allowed the people of South Dakota to circumvent the state legislature and bring forward new laws or prevent unpopular ones from taking effect. Both were considered far ahead of their time, and may have generated more controversy than a payday loan rate cap.

South Dakota was the first state to elect a woman to serve as a Senator in Washington. Gladys Pyle was a member of the Republican Party, and was elected in a special election in 1938. She had also served as Secretary of State of South Dakota. Vera Bushfield was another South Dakota woman who served as a Senator. When her husband Senator Harlan Bushfield passed, she was appointed to finish his term. She served for many months, before she yielded her seat to fellow Republican and newly elected Senator Karl Mundt.

South Dakota has been welcoming to immigrants and their families. James Abourezk was the son of Lebanese immigrants. In 1970, Abourezk was elected to the US House and then Senate. He was the first Senator of Lebanese descent. James Abdnor, a fellow South Dakotan and Lebanese American, was also elected to the House and then Senate. He was the second Lebanese American US Senator. First generation Norwegian immigrant Sigurd Anderson was elected in 1950 to the Governorship.

South Dakota has had a long history of electing Democrats to serve in Washington. Senator George McGovern was the Democratic candidate for President in 1972. Although he was easily defeated, it is interesting that a state as conservative as South Dakota would elect and reelect him three times. There are many instances in the past decades of South Dakota having two Democrats as Senators, or both a Democratic Senator and Representative.

South Dakota has had a progressive past. For many reasons, South Dakota is Republican stronghold, and it seems like it will be for the foreseeable future. This does not mean that lawmakers cannot work to enact good, common sense, cutting-edge legislation that everyone would benefit from. As our lawmakers return to Pierre this winter, remind them of our political past, and ask them, before they vote, to think of our political future.