Contact House Republican leadership regarding their decision to remove Rep. Phil Jensen from the GOP caucus following a Democrat-raised point of order during House floor debate, after which the official vote record confirmed the substance of the statement at issue.

What Happened

On January 29, 2026, the South Dakota House of Representatives considered Senate Concurrent Resolution 604 (SCR 604).

SCR 604 was a nonbinding resolution urging the people of South Dakota to seek the Lord Most High through prayer and fasting. The resolution did not create law, impose a mandate, or require any action by citizens or government entities.

During House floor debate, Representative Phil Jensen stated that Democrats would vote against the resolution.

A point of order was then raised by a member of the Democratic caucus objecting to that statement. The Speaker ruled Rep. Jensen out of order, as reflected in the official House Journal.

The House then proceeded to a recorded roll-call vote.

The official vote record shows that every member of the Democratic caucus voted “no” on SCR 604. The resolution passed the House.

Then on February 2, 2026, House Republican leadership removed Rep. Jensen from participation in the House Republican Caucus.

What Was Said on the House Floor

“Mr. Speaker. I’ve got about twenty—oh, two dozen—books, old series, volumes of Messages and Papers of the Presidents, and as I’ve perused over those through the years, it’s amazing. This would have come right from one of those volumes…

…And I would venture to say the only ones that are going to be voting red up there are going to be Democrats. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.”

READ THE HOUSE JOURNAL HERE

The official House vote record confirms that all members of the Democratic caucus voted “no” on SCR 604, consistent with the statement made during debate.

Why This Matters

• Rep. Phil Jensen has more than 14 years of service in the South Dakota Legislature
• Accurate statements during debate were followed by internal disciplinary action
• Caucus discipline can affect how freely legislators speak on the House floor
• Faith and conscience-related speech is a recurring issue in legislative debate
• Internal actions set precedent for future members of the caucus

South Dakotans may reasonably disagree on policy. However, many are concerned
about how internal disciplinary actions are applied, particularly when the public
record later confirms the substance of a statement made during debate.

Contact House Republican Leadership

This page allows South Dakotans to respectfully contact House Republican leadership
regarding their decision to remove Rep. Phil Jensen from participation in the GOP caucus.

Messages submitted through this form will be delivered to House Republican leadership,
including the Speaker of the House and caucus officers responsible for internal governance
and discipline.

Messages are intended to facilitate respectful civic engagement.
Submissions may be reviewed for civility and relevance before being forwarded.