Letter to the Editor - Long: Showing up matters. So does the truth

I recently read Jill Meier’s editorial, “Showing up matters,” and I strongly disagree with her decision to question the commitment to public service of Manuel Luschas and me because we eventually left the District 2 candidate forum on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026.

Let’s establish the facts.

Before the Oct. 10 forum, I spoke with Rachael from the Chamber of Commerce about the importance of having all three candidates present. After the primary forum, where only Manuel and I attended, I made it clear that I did not want to repeat that situation. Rachael agreed, telling me she didn’t need to hear from just the two of us again because we already did that. I made multiple attempts before the event to confirm that all three candidates had committed to attending.

The forum was scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Manuel and I arrived around 9 a.m., prepared to participate. Blake Rife did not show up.

We were told Blake would be approximately 10 minutes late. We waited well beyond the scheduled start, repeatedly hearing he was close. Even after we left, a family member remained until approximately 10:20 a.m., when organizers were packing up. Blake still hadn’t arrived.

Only two members of the public attended, both telling us they had come specifically to support Manuel and me. We had already spoken with them. Facilitators also informed us that the Facebook livestream wasn’t working.

Before leaving, I specifically told Jill that I looked forward to receiving the public’s questions by email. I offered to answer them and publish my responses on social media or, preferably, in the Brandon Valley Journal.

I wasn’t walking away from answering the public’s questions. I was offering another way to ensure they were answered.

During a subsequent phone conversation, Jill told me she had texted Blake after we left and informed him he no longer needed to come.

Blake subsequently acknowledged confusing the schedule and referencing an email in error. That email concerned an entirely different event, on a different day, at a different time, in a different community.

In his published apology, Blake wrote, “Either way, it is my fault. I take responsibility.”

Yet Jill’s editorial extended criticism to Manuel and me, creating the impression that all three candidates shared responsibility. There is a difference between failing to attend and arriving prepared, waiting, and eventually leaving.

What troubled me further was the inconsistency with the primary election earlier this year.

During Jill’s primary forum, Manuel and I attended while two other candidates did not. Those absent candidates were given the opportunity to present five-minute prerecorded videos.

I repeatedly requested that they answer the same public questions Manuel and I answered in person. Jill told me she didn’t believe that was necessary. Instead, all four candidates received entirely new questions for the newspaper.

There was no comparable editorial questioning the absent candidates’ commitment to public service.

Jill, what changed?

I raised these inconsistencies directly with Jill on a phone call, referencing specific dates, times, and her published words. She offered no explanation for the difference, emphasizing that her column was an opinion piece.

She’s entitled to her opinion. But opinions are not beyond scrutiny, particularly when they question someone’s commitment to serving others.

I also explained that I genuinely want a productive relationship with the Journal because local newspapers play an important role in keeping residents informed about legislative decisions in Pierre.

I don’t expect favorable coverage. I expect fairness, accuracy, and consistency.

I enlisted in the military at 18 and have served in the Navy, Air Force, law enforcement, volunteer firefighting, and numerous community organizations.

Throughout this campaign, I’ve personally knocked on just under 7,000 doors and attended more than 50 public events.

My commitment to service didn’t begin with this campaign, and it won’t end with it.

Jill can disagree with our decision to leave. But that disagreement should not become a broader judgment about our dedication to the people we hope to represent.

Jill, I agree with your headline. Showing up matters.

But so does accountability. So does consistency. And above all, so does the truth.

The people of District 2 deserve all three.

Adam Long
Candidate, South Dakota House District 2