South Dakota State Legislative Election 2018 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life

2. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- No

3. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- Without life, not a single one of our rights granted to us by God and guaranteed to us in the Constitution is secure. The founders understood that life is the most important, and its why they listed it first, before liberty or the pursuit of happiness. Without the protection of life and the understanding that human dignity starts in the womb, neither liberty or the pursuit of happiness matters. I believe all life is sacred and I will continue to fight for the protection of the sanctity of life from the moment of conception until natural death.

Budget, Spending, & Tax

1. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions?
- No

2. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees?
- No

3. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients?
- No

4. Other or expanded principles
- Just like South Dakota families must set budgets, prioritize spending, and live within their means, state government must do the same with our tax dollars. That means not spending more than we take in. Families know better than government what will improve their quality of life, and lawmakers must recognize the fact that every dollar they tax and spend is a dollar less that our families have to invest in their own future. Our constitution requires we balance our budget each year.

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

1. Do you support any limits on campaign contributions to state candidates?
- Yes

2. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- No

3. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- Yes

4. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- Yes

5. Do you support South Dakota transitioning to an open primary election system?
- No

6. Do you support prohibiting out-of-state contributions to state ballot initiative committees?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- No

2. Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- No

3. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- No

4. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Economic

1. Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

2. Do you support lowering state taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

3. Do you support reducing state government regulations on the private sector?
- Yes

4. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- No

5. Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
- No

6. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of South Dakota?
- No

7. Do you support legalized state-sponsored sports betting in South Dakota?
- No

8. Other or expanded principles
- I'm proud to live in a state with a strong economy. A strong, diversified economy brings good jobs to South Dakota - which of course are hugely important for South Dakota families. The key to develop jobs is to keep governmental regulations limited and taxes as minimal as possible.

Education

1. Do you support adopting federal education standards in South Dakota?
- No

2. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- No

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from South Dakota high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- No

4. Other or expanded principles
- Access to a quality education can change a child?s life. I believe South Dakota schools can and should be as good as the best schools anywhere in the country. I also believe we must do every possible thing within our power to protect our children in our schools to make them safe, and to make parents feel safe about dropping them off.

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- No

2. Do you support state government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No

3. Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives?
- No

4. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Gun

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- No

3. Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom?
- No

4. Should a license be required for gun ownership?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- I support South Dakota school boards ability to opt into the sentinel program to arm school personnel including teachers.

Health

1. Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse?
- No

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through South Dakota's health care programs?
- No

3. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- No

4. Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia?
- No

5. Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations?
- No

6. Other or expanded principles
- Funding for treatment of opioid abuse provided through the state Medicaid system should continue. Funding increases would be dependent on budgetary priorities.

Social

1. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in South Dakota's anti-discrimination laws?
- No

2. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in South Dakota's anti-discrimination laws?
- No

3. Do you support greater efforts by South Dakota state government in closing the pay gap between men and women?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Legislative Priorities

In the following area, please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- My priorities include keeping taxes as low as possible, holding down government expenses, improving government transparency, upholding our heartland values, and helping our schools become safer and stronger. It's been my great honor to serve the people of Grant, Deuel, rural Brookings and rural Codington Counties, and if you will allow me to return, I will continue to listen to the concerns of all of all our citizens, work as hard as I possibly can, and do my very best to represent the will of the people in our four counties.