Brian Bengs
October 18, 2026 · Newsletter
Big Money is Spending Big in South Dakota
As I travel the state, more and more South Dakotans are recognizing me from my ads. At the same time, they constantly ask if I’ve seen all the attack ads against me. It’s pretty hard not to see them, given how much these Epstein-class billionaires and special interests are spending to attack me and prop up my opponent, Mike Rounds.
For every South Dakotan wondering where the hundreds of thousands of dollars are coming from for these attack ads, one need look no further than how much money billionaires and corporate interests have made this year, thanks to Mike Rounds and his Senate votes. They want to get Mike Rounds re-elected, because they see his willingness to choose them over regular South Dakotans as a profitable investment.
I read about it in the news recently. 2026 has been a banner year for the world’s tech billionaires. In the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, there are 100 technology fortunes among the 500 richest individuals included in the survey. These 100 fortunes reaped a combined $845 billion through Sept. 30. This staggering amount is the highest ever for the first nine months of a year. Meanwhile, working people are struggling with $4 gas, $6 diesel, and skyrocketing mortgage rates and grocery prices.
Fueled by the artificial intelligence boom and soaring technology stocks, Big Tech billionaires in the U.S. are now worth a combined $4.6 trillion. This accounts for 36 percent of the index’s wealth, even though they make up only about a fifth of its members.
When you have that kind of money, you can only buy so many mansions. So many private jets. So many Greek yachts. So, what do you do when you have everything? You buy into power directly, to keep it that way. Buy a Senator or Congressman, and set them loose with their marching orders.
You tell them you want a “yes” vote on the Big Beautiful Bill. Career politicians who are bought and paid for like Mike Rounds give you that vote in a heartbeat. Now, you’ve got your corporate taxes slashed from 35% to 21%. For good measure, you got a 100% bonus depreciation sprinkled in, allowing businesses to deduct the full cost of investments upfront.
This same bill Mike Rounds supported will add $4.7 trillion in budget deficits over the next 10 years, cut healthcare spending for programs like Medicaid, and put rural hospitals in danger. How did these giveaways work out other than to pad Corporate America’s bottom line and put more kickbacks into the career politicians’ campaign coffers?
I’m running for U.S. Senate because I’m tired of seeing our career politicians do anything Big Money wants, rather than working for what regular people need. The polling is close, and we need your help to build a steady lead before November. If you’d like to see a common-sense who will put people over parties in Washington, consider chipping in to support the campaign. Thank you.
Help support the campaign here
Microsoft realized $100 billion of U.S. profits last year while paying a paltry federal income tax rate of just 2.4%. That translates to $18 billion in federal tax breaks. Five of the largest tech companies (Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, and Oracle) reported $422 billion in profits last year while paying an effective federal income tax of just 4.5 percent. This group enjoyed a total of $70 billion in tax breaks last year, not to mention whatever they saved with massive layoffs.
Who is the co-chair of the Senate’s AI Caucus? Who chairs an important Senate subcommittee on cybersecurity? Who voted with pride for the BBB’s corporate giveaways? Who takes political action committee checks from these tech companies? Who has a Senior Advisor serving as a paid Facebook lobbyist while making a six-figure Senate salary funded by taxpayers? Who has a secret PAC spending money on ads attacking me?
That would be Mike Rounds. That is all perfectly legal in the world of Washington’s legalized corruption. Corporate interests put hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of dollars behind a candidate who is more than happy to give them a seat at the table in backroom meetings.
One of my many assignments over the course of my career in the Air Force was ensuring ethics compliance for the Air Force Thunderbirds. This kind of blatant quid pro quo there would be so illegal and unethical that it would fundamentally change the Air Force’s approach to ethics. For entrenched career politicians like Mike Rounds, it’s just a day that ends in Y.
Big Tech billionaires know they have to keep the money train running if they want to keep reaping the rewards. They need to change the subject away from $4 gas, $6 diesel, escalating fertilizer costs, ballooning mortgage rates, and off-the-charts grocery prices. Their attack ads will talk about anything that distracts South Dakotans from the issues we’re actually worried about.
In November, there is a chance to do something about this legalized corruption. South Dakotans can send a message that they are not happy with the status quo. They can tell Washington they have had enough, and want to go in a different, Independent direction.
If you want a Senator who has refused corporate PAC money, a Senator not beholden to either political party, and a Senator who will strictly adhere to anti-corruption ethics, I’d be honored to have your support as South Dakota’s Independent voice in the United States Senate.
Thank you for reading.
Brian L. Bengs, Lt Col (Ret)
Independent Candidate for U.S. Senate
Every new poll shows this race getting closer and closer. We have the momentum to beat Mike Rounds this November, but we have to keep it up all the way through Election Day. Please consider chipping in to help spread our message to South Dakotans around the state. Thank you.