Vote for Farmer Nancy Kirstein in District 6

This month’s award for authentic campaign signage goes to Nancy Kirstein of Lennox, a Democrat running for District 6 House:

The award for thoughtful spousal endorsement comes from Jeff Kirstein:

She is us.

My wife is running for District 6 House of Representatives in South Dakota. Her name is Nancy Kirstein.

I’ve been lucky to call Nancy my wife for the past 14 years. She’s the finest person that I know and she would be a tremendous asset to the citizens of District 6. Her decision to run did not come easy. She’s not a political person and knocking on doors does not come naturally or easily. She works 3 jobs. She works full-time at a retail store in Sioux Falls. She grows and sells several acres of vegetables in the summer (while simultaneously working her other job) and she works at special events as a server. She’s also worked at a local restaurant and seasonally at the local grain elevator. She doesn’t have health insurance or a 401K. She does what’s needed to make ends meet. She works hard. She is us.

Nancy has a family that she loves. She has brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews. She has aging parents that occasionally need assistance. And she helps with my parents-both of whom have had many types of challenges as they attempt to age gracefully. These changes have not been easy for any of us and I’m thankful that she’s been by my side. She is us.

Although we don’t have children, we do have many responsibilities around our little acreage. Our ‘children’ include pet cows, horses, donkeys, cats, dogs, pigs, and chickens. These family members take an incredible amount of work-cleaning out stables, feeding, carrying water, cutting hoofs, and occasionally burying one. She does this in her spare time. She is us.

Moving to Pierre for several weeks will not be easy. It will cost our family in several ways. She will take a pay cut to become a legislator. She will lose money every time she drives to or from Pierre. We’ll have to hire people to help with our animals when I, too, am on the road for work. Selfishly, I will lose my wife for those weeks and we won’t get to take our annual winter vacation to someplace warm. But she’s running because she wants to make a difference. She’s running because the status quo is not sustainable. She’s running because our legislature, in order to function properly, MUST be made up of folks from all walks of life and from all income brackets. And most importantly, it must be made up of representatives without an angle. Without a personal agenda. With nothing to gain personally. It must be made up of people who are in Pierre honestly to represent their districts and to do the business of the State of South Dakota.

My wife Nancy is that person. She is us.

Respectfully,
Jeff Kirstein [Nancy Kirstein FB campaign page, 2018.10.12]

Nancy Kirstein, her ticketmates Kyle Boese and Teresa Robbins, and the Lincoln County Democrats are holding a District 6 Day of Action today with some quick training and then canvassing all day in Harrisburg, Tea, and Lennox.