Four-Way House Race

Two incumbents and two challengers are running for two seats in the South Dakota House of Representatives from District 1 in the general election on Tuesday. District 1 includes Marshall, Day and Roberts Counties and a portion of Brown County.

Republican Tamara St. John of Sisseton is seeking reelection to a two-year term. Democrat challengers Steve McCleerey, Sisseton and Kay Nikolas, Sisseton and Republican Joe Donnell, Sisseton, are vying for one of the two spots. Incumbent Jennifer Keintz is not seeking reelection as she is the Lieutenant Governor candidate running with Jamie Smith.

Following are responses to a questionnaire from the Marshall County Journal.

Please describe your personal background (family, occupation, etc.)

Joe Donnell: As a husband, father, and life-long resident of South Dakota, I am personally invested in our way of life which includes a family values, strong work ethic and doing what is right for the greater good of my family and our community. My wife Danielle and I have been married for 16 years and we have had the blessing of raising our children Vincent and Annie in rural South Dakota. Also, I am proud member of the Sisseton Oyate Tribal Nation, I am committed to improving the lives of my native brothers and sisters through my nonprofit work at Warriors Circle, where we develop future leaders and guide people through inner healing to build a spiritual foundation along with career development and placement. I am also veteran of the United States Air Force and have earned a Master’s Degree in Theology where I studied abroad in Belgium.

What would be your strongest attribute as a District 1 Representative?

JD: With my unique background, I feel that I can be a bridgebuilder between different types of cultures, education and industries and I plan on taking that skillset to the State Capitol to work on difficult issues that need to be addressed.

If elected, what would be your number one priority and how would you address it?

JD: As I knock on doors all across District 1, I have heard almost unanimously that inflation is really taking a negative toll on people’s lives. The people that make up our region are farmers, ranchers and own or work at small businesses where many of them take great pride in their work but are re-alizing that their paycheck is not able to cover all of the bills like it used to do. Even though inflation is largely a national economic issue, the SD legislature has some power to take action to lower the cost of living for our residents in reducing taxes and limiting the growth of government. One example could be to reduce the price of food by reducing the sales tax on grocerwww. ies or to reduce the state sales tax on gasoline at the pump. Overall, I am open to any idea that relieves the burden of inflation on South Dakotans as economists are predicting that inflation is going to be around for years to come as a result of fiscal mismanagement in Washington, DC.

What is your number two concern and what action do you think should be taken?

JD: The other issue that I want to focus on at the state capitol is to be a bridgebuilder between the state government and the tribal nations. Personally, I am invested in improving lives of Native Americans. I believe that I can be a strong voice for their interests in Pierre and be able to work on improving the relationship between state and tribal leaders and as a member of the majority party, the tribes will have more influence in legislative process than they have had previously as both Republicans on the ballot in the House of Representatives are also Native Americans.

What do you think is District One’s biggest asset and how can it be used to our advantage?

JD: District 1 has great people who work in the industries that are the backbone of our great state. From farming to ranching to recreational sports like hunting and fishing to small businesses and tribal communities, we are the best of what our state has to offer. . District 1 also includes the Sisseton Oyate, which has a rich history and tradition in our area. Moving forward, our district needs to have representatives that are at the table when any legislative proposal is brought forward that addresses these issue areas. We have an advantage because there are many experts in these key areas that I can reach out to and learn from in order to best advance their interests.

Tamara St. John Please describe your personal background (family, occupation, etc.)

Tamara St. John: I am a historian for the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate who works with museums and archives along with tribal tourism. I attended high school in Sisseton and have been educated in Historic Preservation, collections and curation as well as certifiedinSustainableTourism through George Washington University School of Business. I am also the mother of four adult children and grandmother to two grandsons.

What would be yourstrongest attribute as a District 1 Representative?

TSJ: I’m seeking re-election for my third term because as the incumbent legislator I have influence and relationships in Pierre to continue to get things done for District 1. As a person who was born and raised here in northeast SD, and a lifelong resident of South Dakota, I believe that I am able to understand the unique issues we have here and be a voice for some who have not had representation over many years in the past. I am a researcher and understand the need for the details of both sides of an issue as well as the importance of knowing the history of how an issue came to be.

If reelected, what would be your number one priority and how would you address it?

TSJ: Like many areas of South Dakota we face issues with drugs such as Meth, Opioids, Heroin and Fentanyl. There are frightening statistics in overdoses, deaths, crime, child neglect and increased incarcerations. How we work together to support our state, local and tribal law enforcement or other agencies to combat these things is critical. We need to ensure we have the resources for recovery, treatment and to support the families impacted by drug use. I am also tracking the possible changes needed to support problem solving courts along with Veterans Treatment Courts and Mental Health Courts.

What is your number two concern and what action do you think should be taken?

TSJ: There are many issues we all face, but some are more unique to the rural areas where families, farmers and others live. More efforts are needed to address supporting our community service providers, responders, and county infrastructure. I had the opportunity to be a part of a study related to the needs of first responders and others who are the real heroes in our communities. I hope to continue this work of addressing the need for increased resources for our providers, responders, and to help fund our counties that have been hit with damage to roads.

What do you think is District One’s biggest asset and how can it be used to our advantage?

TSJ:I think our greatest asset is our people. We have so many folks from various walks of life, farmers, small business owners, veterans, tribal and non-tribal, etc. District 1 has a unique perspective to provide in our state legislature. I hope I can continue to represent all of us to the best of my ability and help draw more awareness and resources for our communities.

Steve McCleerey Please describe your personal background (family, occupation, etc.)

Steve McCleerey: I have 3 children, all grown. 1 son in Sisseton who runs the NAPA store, and 2 daughters, both in Minnesota; the oldest is a teacher in St. Paul, the youngest a hairstylist in Alexandria. I have 8 eight grandchildren-6 boys and 2 girls, all active young adults. I farm north of Sisseton, producing corn, soybeans, oats, alfalfa, grass and I have a cow/calf operation, calving in the fall. I’m a member of the Coteau Des Prairie Health Care System: clinic, hospital and nursing home. I am a member of Grace Lutheran Church, the Credit Union Board, and County Farmers Union. I do fill in as a lay pastor around the area when needed.

What would be yourstrongest attribute as a District 1 Representative?

SC: My strongest attribute, besides being an ag producer is my being a strong advocate of health care for seniors and the ability to have a health care system in a rural location for rural individuals. I’ve addressed this very strongly in my six years in the state legislature. I was the only legislature to have a bill to provide about $18 million to keep nursing home from closing their doors.

If elected, what would be your number one priority and how would you address it?

SC: To continue the agenda to bring back the multi-district career courses in high school. To teach young adults in high school the trades of carpentry, plumbing, welding, electrician food preps and ag jobs! These young adults are ready to learn this and this would help our jobs and workforce.

What is your number two concern and what action do you think should be taken?

SC: My number 2 concern is daycare and preschool structure, to have pilot projects in area rural towns/cities to begin this at the local level where permissible; In my opinion, a great beginning is having this cooperated with local systems or cities that will think outside of the box! These young children have brains like a sponge, ready to learn at a young age.

What do you think is District One’s biggest asset and how can it be used to our advantage?

SC: We actually have 2 large assets: Agriculture that feeds the world, produces ethanol, soy oil and feed from both. Tourism from our lakes, parks, fishing and hunting. We need more advertising from the Ag Department and especially the Tourism Department. We have a gold mine here if used properly for more sales tax revenue/ income from our towns/cities!

Kay Nikolas Please describe your personal background (family, occupation, etc)

Kay Nikolas: I was born and raised in Aberdeen, South Dakota. I attended Northern State College and the University of South Dakota. I obtained my law degree with honors from the University of Minnesota School of Law. I practiced law in Aberdeen and moved to Sisseton in 1980. Since then, I have resided in Sisseton but practiced law throughout northeastern South Dakota. I practiced law in State, Tribal and federal courts. I had my own private practice and served as Deputy State’s Attorney and State’s Attorney in Roberts County for twentyfour years. I retired in 2020 from the active practice of law. I have served on corporate boards including nursing home and transit programs and on the South Dakota Board of Pardons and Paroles for eight years, serving as chair the last four years that I was on that board. I am active in my church and serve on the museum board and the library board in Sisseton. I am single with no children.

What would be yourstrongest attribute as a District 1 Representative?

KN: I have the training as an attorney and as a mediator to look at all sides of issues to see where there is agreement and to look at how we can try to resolve the areas where there is disagreement. I can work across the aisle with fellow legislators who are interested in really addressing issues facing us in South Dakota to try to find the best solutions for those problems.

If elected, what would be your number one priority and how would you address it?

KN: From my discussions with residents in District 1, workforce mobilization – finding and retaining quality workers in retail and service jobs. One of the factors that has been mentioned several times is having quality, dependable, safe, and affordable day care so people feel they can go to work knowing that their children are being properly cared for and knowing that they can afford the care provided their children. I want to look at ways in which we can encourage private daycare providers and possibly public/private cooperative efforts – whether it be through local government or in connection with Pre-K programs through the schools.

What is your number two concern and what action do you think should be taken?

KN: Education from pre-K through post-secondary education. We are again running nearly last in providing competitive compensation for teachers. We need to respect the work and dedication of these people to whom we entrust our children as they play such an important role in developing our future generations to be well-adjusted and productive citizens. I would like to see all children given the opportunity to be on an even field when kindergarten begins. We need to look at career training that does not necessarily involve college. We need to have people trained for trades – construction, electricians, plumbers, culinary arts, mechanics – and recognize that these occupations are valuable and necessary for our area to thrive. Can people be trained in these skilled trades without post-secondary education? Can we utilize existing trades people to mentor those who want to pursue these careers?

What do you think is district one’s biggest asset and how can it be used to our advantage?

KN: The people in District 1 are the District’s biggest asset. They care for their neighbors and friends and reach out to help one another. While they may not agree on how to resolve our differences when issues arise, I believe people in District 1 genuinely care about each other, about how we govern ourselves, and about how we can be good stewards of our natural resources for ourselves and those who will follow us. We recognize that we are truly blessed to live in northeastern South Dakota. Every day the people in District 1 take steps to help themselves and others move forward together for the good of us all and that gives us all an advantage in living here.