By Denise Ross

Rapid City engineering consultant Cheryl Chapman was elected vice chairwoman of the SD Democratic Party on Saturday, and, by extenstion, is our state’s newest super delegate to the party’s national convention in August.

Normally, this would be “ho hum,” as Cheryl said, but this year, watch out! All Democratic super delegates have giant targets painted on them.

Cheryl ran unopposed for the post and was chosen by the state party’s central committee for the job at a meeting in Oacoma.

And while “Oacoma” bears a striking resemblance to “Obama,” Chapman isn’t backing either Barack or Hillary. She’s hoping the next round of primary voting on March 4 significantly fades that new target she has.  She stopped short of saying she has adopted the posture of Sen. Tim Johnson, who said he will vote for whomever wins South Dakota’s June 3 primary.

She tells Hoghouse Blog:

 I think it’s important to keep an open mind as we go through the process.

Cheryl’s husband and Rapid City alderman Malcom Chapman has a role in Sen. Clinton’s campaign in tracking delegates at the state convention, she said.

The pressure hasn’t been too intense, though, she said.

Everybody’s focused on these last primaries and caucuses that are coming up. … Everybody’s waiting to see how those races will come out.

Especially, I’ll bet, the super delegates.

Meanwhile, Chapman also is chairwoman of the Pennington County Democratic Party and is working on the local caucuses that will be held on Saturday, March 8. At those meetings, Democrats will select people to go to the March 22 state convention in pursuit of standing as a delegate at the national convention.  

Democrats living in legislative districts 32, 33, 34 and 35 will meet at the labor temple on St. Patrick Street in Rapid City at 9 a.m. for the local caucus process.

All registered Democrats in good standing are eligible to participatein the local caucuse meetings, provided they apply to the state party by March 4.

To request an application, send e-mail to democrats@sddp.org

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