‘I had an eye doctor visit,’ says absent state senator after his colleagues launched a search

By: Joshua Haiar

Outlets: South Dakota Searchlight

Published: February 25, 2026

Words: 1,004

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 1 day ago

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PIERRE — Republican state Sen. John Carley of Piedmont said his unexplained absence from the entire Senate floor session during one of the busiest days of South Dakota’s annual legislative session — which led his colleagues to launch a search for him — was because of a medical appointment.

“I had an eye doctor visit,” Carley told South Dakota Searchlight in a text message Wednesday morning, after his Tuesday afternoon absence.

When …

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