Travis Ismay Responds to My Congratulatory Email: A Small Step Toward Civil Discourse in South Dakota Politics

Yesterday, Rep. Travis Ismay (R-House District 28B) replied to the congratulatory email I sent him shortly after his decisive Republican primary victory on June 2.¹

For context, here is the full exchange:

My email (June 2, 2026):

For context, here is the full exchange:

It’s a brief, gracious response — and one I appreciate.

Background on the Exchange

As detailed in my June 2 post, Rep. Ismay and I have had sharp policy disagreements, particularly regarding his past sponsorship of efforts to repeal or restrict South Dakota’s medical cannabis program.¹ Those exchanges were not always polite, and he even shared some of my earlier, more heated messages publicly.

This time, I deliberately chose a different tone: acknowledging his earned victory (he defeated challenger Larry Schmaltz with 54.9% of the vote to 45.1%) while maintaining my positions on the issues.²

His reply reinforces that basic human decency and mutual respect are still possible in politics, even amid deep disagreements. I take him at his word that we’ll have “a lot of fun” in the coming years — though I suspect our definitions of “fun” will differ significantly on cannabis policy, patient access, and related reforms.

The Path Forward

I continue to believe Rep. Ismay is wrong on medical marijuana. Efforts to undermine a program serving sick South Dakotans are misguided. But being wrong on policy does not make someone a villain. Voters in his rural district clearly value his background as a rancher and welder, and he secured a strong primary win.

This exchange is a small but meaningful example of how politics should work: vigorous debate on the merits, recognition of character where it exists, and no need for perpetual personal enmity.

The work for medical cannabis patients, transparency in the program, religious liberty accommodations, and structural accountability continues unabated. I look forward to engaging with Rep. Ismay — and all elected officials — on the substance of the issues in the years ahead.

To Rep. Ismay: Thank you for the kind reply. Respect returned. Let’s get to work for the people of South Dakota.

This article builds on the public record. Full email screenshots and prior coverage are available on WeedPress. As always, receipts matter.

Footnotes

¹ Travis Ismay, My Congratulatory Email to Rep. Travis Ismay After His Primary Win, WeedPress.org (June 2, 2026).

² S.D. Sec’y of State, Official Election Results: Republican Primary for House District 28B (June 2, 2026) (showing Ismay 1,597 votes [54.9%], Schmaltz 1,313 votes [45.1%]). See also Ballotpedia, Travis Ismay (updated June 2026).