Americans and South Dakotans face many real problems. Health care costs are skyrocketing; our road infrastructure is crumbling; opioid/meth addiction is a daily threat; teacher pay is substandard; and Republicans have gerrymandered our districts so that their billionaire donors can get what they want -- including tax breaks at the expense of the average worker, who hasn’t had a real income increase in 40 years.

In the South Dakota State Senate, I will fight for ​real solutions to these problems -- for our teachers, our health care workers, our farmers, and the hard-working people of South Dakota -- so we can create a brighter future for our children.

I am a firm believer that it is possible to achieve a society where everyone has a fair chance to succeed. I believe in a market economy, but understand the need for government to step in when there are externalities -- like with education, public roads, health care. I believe in equality and fairness for all people.

I want to be the politician that I would like to vote for -- a politician with a moral compass that can give straight and detailed answers to questions about positions; a politician who does what is morally right instead of focusing on opinion polls or political expediency; a politician for whom moral integrity is more important than their political career.

My top priority is to find real solutions to the real problems that South Dakotans face today. Below are details of my policy priorities should I be elected to the South Dakota State Senate. South Dakota deserves great leadership, and I hope to be a part of that.
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Affordable Health Care

As a minimum standard for a society, no one should be bankrupted by illness or die because they can't afford treatment for themselves or a loved one. I believe everyone should have access to high-quality, affordable health care. Especially during the coronavirus pandemic, we should be expanding access, not cutting it. One of the first steps we should take is to accept the Medicaid expansion, which would cover thousands of additional families. The SD Legislature has left nearly $300 million dollars a year in federal money on the table because of partisan gridlock. Republicans want to slash Medicare in half. Do you have a loved one in a nursing home? Are you prepared to pay their costs out-of-pocket because our social programs have been gutted? 

Fix the Roads

South Dakota needs to invest in adequate road maintenance -- it's a public good that everyone uses. But the Republicans in Pierre have refused to invest in quality infrastructure which will save us money in the long run. Any rancher would know that if you put up a cheap three-wire fence, you are going to spend a lot of time chasing cows on the roads. If we continue to skimp on necessary infrastructure, we are going to pay for it in the long-run with potholes, repair bills, and accidents. We need to investing in road maintenance and infrastructure construction.

Investing in Our Schools

An investment in our schools is an investment in our children -- which is well worth it. Teachers (and school nurses) should have above-inflation salary increases. Ensuring teachers have the resources to focus on improving education will lead to better schools, better students, and better outcomes. I also believe that all children attending school should be vaccinated, to prevent the spread of preventable diseases.

An Accessible Democracy

One of the most fundamental American rights is the right to vote. I will protect this right and help create a democracy that includes everyone in the process. South Dakota citizens should be automatically registered to vote when they turn 18 years old, like is done in 19 other states. Early and absentee ballots are essential during the coronavirus pandemic, especially for the elderly and the immunocompromised. Absentee ballots should be an option for every citizen. And Election Day should be made a public holiday so that everyone has the time to vote. And we should increase voter participation in state and local elections.

An Accountable Government

It is important that our state government work for the people in a transparent, honest, and accountable way. I want to restore Measure 22, the anti-corruption measure. I strongly support term limits on local, state and federal levels. Only with term limits in place can politicians focus on solving real issues, rather than on doing what it takes to get re-elected. Another major problem is campaign financing, that allows companies and big out-of-state donors to give so much money to politicians that they can essentially buy elections. And we need to end gerrymandering, where politicians draw their own election lines -- letting the politicians choose their voters instead of the other way around. In 2016, nearly 40% of voters voted for Democrats for the State House, but they won only 14% of the seats. We need an independent redistricting commission that ends this undemocratic process.

South Dakotan Agriculture

I totally support mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) to support our American ranchers. However, that may take a fair amount of time to get in place, as we have to renegotiate international treaties in order to ensure we have avenues to export our beef and other agricultural products. In the meantime, I support a voluntary labelling system, perhaps backed by the state of South Dakota, that indicates meat that meets high standards (like being born, bred, slaughtered and packed in the US) to use a special label.

Common-Sense Gun Rules

I strongly support the principles of the Second Amendment. We also need to have common-sense gun regulations that prevent gun sales to convicted criminals and individuals with severe mental health diagnoses, like background checks and a red-flag law. Being proactive and preventing convicted criminals and the mentally-ill from having guns is the smart choice to prevent another mass tragedy like we have seen all too often in America.

Addressing Domestic Violence

We need to give increased support for victims of domestic violence. Domestic violence is a serious problem that negatively affects our society, and we can combat it by investing in much-needed social resources. There must be sufficient funding for support services, hot-lines, and shelters. Penalties for offenders must be firm and consistent. Law enforcement must be trained to take allegations seriously. And there must be support for speedy proceedings for divorce and child custody in cases of domestic violence, to prevent further harm.

Black Lives Matter

I believe in equality for all people -- and this means black lives matter. We must take seriously the issues that people of color face in our society today. Our society's greatness is measured by how well it treats its most disadvantaged members. I will definitely vote to keep our police forces, but we also to equip them with better resources to handle all the diverse and difficult situations they may face -- social services, mental health professionals, and more. If your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.

As a Christian, I think of the Parable of the 100 Sheep from Luke 15. There are 100 sheep, but one goes missing. Jesus leaves the 99 and goes after the one. The 99: "But... what about us? Don't we matter?" Of course the 99 still matter, but they're not the ones in danger. The one is.