Here’s one of the biggest reasons we need to elect a Democratic Governor in 2018: we’ll significantly increase the chances of getting Bernie Hunhoff to come back to the Legislature.
Senator Hunhoff announced on his Facebook page yesterday that he’s taking a well-deserved break from Pierre:
Bernie! A guy from Vermont makes “Bernie” the coolest name in the country, and you choose not to run for office?! Marketing! Timing! What are you thinking?
Hunhoff represented Yankton in the Senate from 1993 to 1998, when he accepted the unenviable challenge of running against incumbent Bill Janklow for Governor. He returned to Pierre for three terms in the House starting in 2009, then won his current District 18 Senate seat in 2014.
Thank you for your service, Senator Hunhoff. Now open: the position of Conscience of the South Dakota Legislature.
The only candidate currently listed for the District 18 Senate seat that Hunhoff will vacate is Democrat Craig A. Kennedy, a Yankton lawyer, Rotarian, and former Yankton County state’s attorney.
Well done Bernie! Thank you for your service, you have made a difference in so many ways for South Dakota! Enjoy.
Thank you for your service, Mr. Hunhoff! You are a statesmen and a fine example to us all on how to conduct oneself for the benefit of our state.
It is truly a bitter-sweet moment to hear this news. I am happy for Mr. Hunhoff that he can choose to spend more time with his family, but I am sad that we will not have his wisdom, steady hand, and vision for a better future in the legislature. I’m hoping that a new crop of Democrats can pick up the torch that Mr. Hunhoff carried so well for so many years!
OH yeah…Feel the BERN!
That’s a loss for Yankton, the legislature, and South Dakota as a whole. Thank you, Bernie, for your service. You are a class act!
While I am saddened to read about Sen. Hunhoff leaving the legislature, I cannot help but respect his reasons for doing so and the service he has provided over the years. Moreover, he was always helpful to me when I contacted him.
If he decides to run again in the future, and I am still in SD, I would be honored to help with his campaign.
Senator Hunoff is the epitome of perseverance, compassion, and wisdom. Thank you for all you taught me, your leadership, and the example you set for all. Take care, and love those grandkids!
Bernie leaving the legislature is sad news indeed, however can you blame him after the performance or underperformance of this last bunch of wingnuts.
The 2016 legislature will go down in history as one of the most embarrassing session ever.
Thanks to Bernie, it ended up not being so bad. Thanks Bernie!!!!
“Fair winds and following seas…” Senator. While we may have disagreed on issues, your dedication to remaining agreeable in serving South Dakotans was greatly appreciated and respected. Godspeed and God bless.
Respectfully,
S.V. Nelson
We’ve heard it a hundred times – maybe more … leaving office to ‘spend more time with family.’ This may be one of the first times the statement was true, and one of the few that the former politician was welcomed as genuinely as Sen Hunhoff will be. The Capitol will not be better for his departure, but the Hunhoff clan will be.
Senator Hunhoff, thanks for your service to our state. Your dedication and thoughtful wisdom will be sorely missed.
Thanks to all of you for the very kind words — too kind. Whatever limited wisdom I might have can be practiced in ways outside the legislature, just as all of you do every day. It has been a real honor to be able to represent the progressives of our great state — and my one message would be to take heart: progressives always win in the end, it’s the history of America and South Dakota (sorry, Stace, but it’s true). Despite being greatly outnumbered in the last 8 years in Pierre, look at the advances we’ve made in so many areas: in health care, we passed a smoking ban, protected Birth-to-3 programs, improved care for autism, approved prenatal care for ALL poor infants (something few states have been able to do) and we’re on the verge of Medicaid expansion. In economic development, we changed the whole conversation when Democrats referred the corporate welfare bill in 2012 and then came back and worked with the GOP lawmakers to expand effort with education, housing, a rural focus, and we codified the fact that incentives must only go to projects that wouldn’t otherwise happen and that pay good wages … this session the GOED folks were advocating those values. On education, again we’ve overcome all the old arguments that its the school boards’ fault, or that teachers get summers off, or that we have too many administrators, or that it’s cheaper to live here … now at least everyone recognizes there is a problem even if we didn’t solve it. We also have established (though underfunded) need based scholarships, special attention to Native American curriculum and Native American scholarships that hopefully result in more local mentors — and countless other smaller reforms. We have also beaten back all sorts of discrimination bills. Democrats did none of that by themselves, but most of it wouldn’t have happened if Democrats weren’t fighting for progressive ideas. I have been only a tiny part of it all, and all of you have helped with YOUR wisdom and perseverance. So let’s keep up the fight, we’re making South Dakota better every day.
Thank you Mr. Hunhoff for your perspective on the advancements in South Dakota that we should all value and for your leadership that was so instrumental in making them happen. Your optimism is contagious and your vision is inspiring.
I admit to being impatient and frustrated with the pace of change here and certainly the lack of vision for the future of South Dakota by too many people in our state government. I wondered at times how you and other Democratic legislators could keep your spirits up when battling for progress and seeing all the obstacles put in your path. Now, I see the “forest for the trees” when looking back at where we have come from to where we are now. This makes the journey forward not seem so daunting after all.
Thanks, Bernie, for all the years and we hope for more! One certainly can respect your decision and I hope you don’t mind if we miss you. You’ve been a voice of reason and wisdom in the legislature. Enjoy your family!
Mr. Hunhoff, we thank you for your continued service to South Dakota and your Legislative leadership in attempting to find some “middle ground” in working with the current majority party. We look forward to your decision to return to the Legislature.
I have no doubt Senator Hunhoff is leaving for the motives he stated. He has a wonderful family and beautiful grandkids. I also think any suggestion it is frustration is false. He is not afraid to advocate his beliefs in the face of staunch opposition.
I also believe other people who leave public service for family reasons. Every year there are many people in public service who choose to move on and the most common explanation is “its just too hard on my family” or “it isn’t worth the time away from my family” or my favorite “I decided to take a nap*.”
* The guy had stopped at his son’s house on his way to a event and his granddaughter was going down for a nap and when he realized he preferred to do that he decided to not run again.
It is a tough gig as it requires time away from family when most of us can be with family. Failure to appreciate the sacrifice of those we disagree with also denigrates the service of those we agree with. Hunhoff has lived an honorable life in and out of public office and I’m sure will continue to do so.