Another Democrat working hard to educate the voters on our ten ballot questions is Russell Graeff, District 19 Senate candidate. Click on his Issues page, and you get his position on all ten initiatives and referenda, plus links to the most comprehensive collection of 2016 ballot question information in South Dakota.
Graeff also appears to be voting the same way as I am on each ballot measures. I’d like Russ even if he weren’t, but I’m glad we’re on the same wavelength when it comes to the policy issues we South Dakotans all get to decide this year.
Graeff’s opponent, Republican Stace Nelson, says nothing about the ballot measures on his Issues page. Nelson updated his bio in April, but the most recent topical post available comes from May 2014, when he was running for U.S. Senate against Mike Rounds and three other Republicans.
In a press release yesterday, Graeff does lay out Legislative priorities beyond this November’s public votes:
“I will go to Pierre as your senator to bring common sense back to our state’s Capitol. I will support common sense K-12 public education funding, tax fairness, ending the corruption in state government, a return to a two-party system and balance in state government ,” said Graeff.
Graeff has expertise in business & healthcare as a Respiratory Care Practitioner, is a father & foster parent. He understands the need for quality healthcare and a public education system that rewards teachers and high school graduates instead of them leaving our state for better opportunities elsewhere. Russell supports renewable energy, fair prices for agriculture producers, family farms and a fair taxation system [Russell Graeff, campaign press release, 2016.09.12].
Graeff faces an uphill climb against the well-known and locally popular former legislator Nelson in a district gerrymandered for optimal Republican power. But Graeff is focusing on the issues that should matter most to all voters right now in South Dakota.
I hope people will have an open mind and actually listen to Graeff. He’s a good guy with good ideas and will listen to his constituents.
What we don’t need is more Republicans in Pierre.
Good luck to Melissa Mentele as well. Great lady with a lot of energy