Mayor Paul TenHaken endorses Sioux Falls council candidates, including Janet Brekke's challenger

Mayor Paul TenHaken endorsed several candidates for the Sioux Falls City Council in a Facebook post this week, drawing appreciation from some and criticism from others.

In the post Wednesday, TenHaken said “many people are reaching out to me asking about the upcoming election and who I feel would be best to serve at this time given where our city is headed.”

While none of the endorsements are particularly surprising, TenHaken is coming out against a sitting city councilor, and had one candidate whom he didn't support rail against him in the comments.

Perhaps the most significant of his endorsements is that of Sarah Cole, the Avera pediatrician who’s running to unseat Janet Brekke from the council’s At-Large A seat.

“Sarah has an incredible desire to serve this city and has worked extremely hard [over] the past months to meet with thousands of voters and listen to their ideas for Sioux Falls,” TenHaken wrote. “She would be a consensus building leader and bring a fresh perspective to policy-making.”

More: Here's what voters should know before the April 12 election in Sioux Falls

Brekke and TenHaken have often been at odds during the past four years. At one point, during a February 2020 council meeting, Brekke called it “unprecedented” TenHaken had recently sent out a fundraising email, saying of previous mayors that "None of them continued the campaign except for during the election cycle.”

TenHaken passed the gavel to comment, saying, “There’s nothing nefarious about sending out a fundraising email two years before you may consider running again” and that “any indication, or implication, I should say, that that’s somehow — we’re above that in Sioux Falls is really, I take offense to that.”

TenHaken's support of Cole aligns with that of Councilors Christine Erickson, Greg Neitzert, Alex Jensen and Marshall Selberg, all of whom hosted a fundraiser for her in February.

Brekke has drawn sharp criticism from others on the council at times, most recently for recusing herself from a vote on whether city employees should receive a package of new benefits, chief among them a $2,000 bonus for most full-time workers, saying at created "an appearance of impropriety" to vote on it so close to an election.

Councilor Rick Kiley called it a "politically motivated move" intended to put other candidates in a position where "accusations can be made."

Brekke did not respond to a request for comment on the endorsement.

TenHaken's post said his picks for district races would be southeast candidate David Barranco and incumbent Curt Soehl for the central district. He added he'd be voting no on both charter amendments — one of which would raise both his salary and that of the eight city councilors.

More: Sioux Falls City Council halves proposed mayoral pay raise, agrees to send it to voters

TenHaken also endorsed Rich Merkouris, a local pastor and nonprofit leader running for the council’s At-Large B seat, which Councilor Christine Erickson will be vacating after eight years on the council.

Calling him a “champion for affordable housing” and “a man of honor, integrity and faith,” TenHaken said the city “would be lucky to be represented by him.”

The move angered Pam Cole, the former executive director of the South Dakota Democratic Party and the only other person on the ballot for the At-Large B seat. Pam Cole replied with a lengthy comment that she shared to at least a dozen South Dakota-based political Facebook groups.

“What on earth are you doing, Mayor TenHaken by getting involved in this way?” Pam Cole wrote, adding TenHaken had “refused to meet with me” since January despite multiple attempts.

More: Local pastor, non-profit leader Rich Merkouris files to run for At-Large B council seat

TenHaken said in a statement “voters regularly ask me who will add value on the City Council,” calling endorsements “hardly a novel concept in elections.”

Indeed, the shows of support aren't even the first this cycle.

A political action committee chaired by TenHaken has sent money toward Merkouris and Soehl, and councilors Kiley, Jensen, Neitzert, Selberg and Erickson have reported making donations to various candidates during the past few months.

More: 4 sitting Sioux Falls councilors among hosts of election fundraiser against councilor Janet Brekke

Asked if he had refused to meet with Pam Cole, TenHaken said she “has had the opportunity to meet with city staff to learn about the progress Sioux Falls has made during my tenure as mayor. He said he had “gotten to know her and her beliefs over the years and always appreciate her engagement.”

Pam Cole also lashed out at Merkouris in the comment, saying he had started King of Glory church "after the national ELCA decided it is OK that pastors are gay" and saying his nonprofit was dispensing money to activities "that attempt to reprogram people such as anti-gay radio personality Dawson McAllister."

More: Former executive director of South Dakota Democratic Party files for At-Large B council seat

A 2019 990-form linked by Pam Cole shows a $100,000 cash grant to “The Shepherd’s Call Inc Dawson McAllister Association” from Kingdom Capital Fund, the Christian non-profit organization headed by Merkouris.

McAllister, who passed in 2020, was a nationally-syndicated radio host who as part of his program would encourage young people struggling with various issues to call in to “The Hopeline” for guidance and advice.

Pam Cole’s allegations stem from a 2010 blog post she links in her comment, in which the writer said they had pretended to be a 16-year-old boy struggling with their sexuality, and received negative comments about homosexuality from a Hopeline representative as well as a referral to Exodus International, an organization the post said pushed gay conversion therapy.

Within days of the blog post, complaints to syndicator Clear Channel resulted in a response from the Dawson McAllister Association, which said it had “reviewed its training for Hopeline volunteers and will remove the Exodus organization from its referral system and remove links to Exodus from its website,” according to a media release from GLAAD, a media watchdog for LGBTQ issues.

Asked for comment on Pam Cole's statements about him, Merkouris said he was "really thankful for the Mayor's endorsement."

"We will not always agree, but I know we can work together to make Sioux Falls an even better city," Merkouris said.

"I'm seeking to run a positive campaign," Merkouris continued. "focused on my experience, love for the people of Sioux Falls, and my ideas to move Sioux Falls in the right direction."