HURON Incumbent District 22 Republican State Senator David Wheeler faces Democratic challenger Jim Schmidt to represent the district in the 2025-26 state legislature.
Early or absentee voting is now taking place, in the auditors office in each respective county, leading up to the general election on Nov. 5.
The Plainsman submitted identical questionnaires to both candidates and their responses are listed here, with Schmidt, who has the first ballot position leading off. No editing – other than spelling or punctuation has been used.
Huron Plainsman Tell the voters of District 22 a little about yourself and what is your motivation for seeking office or seeking re-election.
Jim Schmidt I grew up on a farm near Wessington Springs. Im a graduate of Wessington Springs. After high school, I served four years in the military, with two tours to Vietnam. Over the years, Ive worked at multiple government levels: city, county and federal. Im an author, photographer and oil painter. Huron has been my home since 1980.
I have three reasons I am running. 1. I have repeatedly heard that Pierre is not listening to the voters. God gave me two ears and only one mouth, so I should listen twice as much as I speak. 2. Ive already heard some great ideas Id like to take to Pierre and mill them over with other lawmakers. I want to be a voice for the citizens of South Dakota. 3. Agriculture. It is in my blood. Even though I am not on the farm anymore, my heart is there. Right now, landowners rights are being attacked by a big pipeline corporation. I will fight for the rights and for the protection of local ordinances.
David Wheeler I was born and raised in Huron, where I live here with my wife, Kristin, and our three children. I am an attorney in private practice helping people with their everyday legal needs. Before running for the State Senate, I served for over eight years on the Huron School Board. A well-educated citizenry is critical to society and self-government, which is why having a strong educational system is a passion of mine.
When the senate seat for our district was open in 2020, I took the opportunity to serve my community at the state level. I have had the honor of representing the people of District 22 for the past four years. During that time, I have been a leading voice on several issues, including vo-tech education, workforce housing, keeping taxes low, election integrity, the State Fair (including the DEX and the SHED), and strengthening laws against child pornography and fentanyl distribution. I am seeking re-election to continue my service on these and other topics.
Plainsman There are a number of ballot measures on the 2024 ballot and every person has personal feelings on each of them, from recreational marijuana, to abortion rights and a tax on consumables. Should the majority of the voters in South Dakota approve a ballot measure with which you do not agree personally, will you challenge that measure in the legislature, should you be elected?
Wheeler I believe the Legislature exists to serve the will of the people, and we must uphold that. So I will not seek to overturn any of the measures on the ballot this year just because I may disagree with them, with two exceptions. The first is on Amendment G regarding abortion. I believe it is extreme and goes too far. If it passes, I will take that as a clear message that the people want that right to exist. But I would support efforts to place another measure on the ballot in 2026 to pare back its reach. The nice thing is that if Amendment G passes it can only be amended by the people, so it will not be my vote that matters, but yours. The people will still be in control. The second measure is the repeal of the tax on consumables, which I will address below
Schmidt I have some questions on ballot measures.
Amendment F – the Medicaid program. First, who will judge who is fit to work and who is not? Not all limitations physical, like PTSD. Im not a supporter of Amendment F.
Amendment G – I am not extreme. Here are some of my thoughts. If a womans life is threatened, the case should be between her and her doctor. I wish more emphasis were on adoption. There are other alternatives other than abortion. I feel there is no such thing as an unwanted baby. We have thousands of couples who would love to have and raise that baby. I have a granddaughter who is adopted. Im glad she is here. In the third trimester, the amendment allows the regulation of prohibition of abortion, except in those cases where the life or health of the pregnant woman is at state. Whether the abortion is necessary during the third trimester must be determined by the pregnant womans physician. In my opinion, that is not strong enough. It should say something like determining if the unborn dies in the womb, or if the mother may die if no surgery is performed. Amendment G should go back to the drawing board.
Initiated Measure 28 – If the food tax is removed, will there be an income tax? I fear the middle class would get nailed while the wealth would get loopholes.
Referred Law 21 – This is the ballot issue that was passed over at the Senate forum. Summit Carbon Solutions, a billion-dollar corporation, wants to drive a CO2 pipeline through Beadle and Spink Counties. It will be at least two feet in diameter and about four feet deep. It will be 2183 pounds per square inch of heated CO2 at 80 to 120 degrees. The line will connect to the ethanol plant on the west end of town. It is not similar to an oil pipeline that would leave a mess if it leaks. CO2 is heavier than air and would travel along the ground if a pipeline leaks. Any living thing that breathes would suffocate if it is not rescued. All Summit thinks about is the big profits at the landowners expense. The ads on TV make it sound so good, but they are full of falsehoods. To learn about the CO2 pipeline, check out sdnotforsale.com. Find out what happened in Satartia, Miss., when a CO2 pipeline leaked. Summit Carbon Pipelines doesnt want you to know about this. A no vote on Referred Law 21 could stop this hazardous pipeline. To be perfectly clear, I am not against ethanol, I use it myself. Im against the CO2 pipeline.
Our state motto says, Under God the People Rule. If the people vote in a measure, they have spoken. I work for them. Im still steaming over IM 22 – the government transparency measure. The people spoke, and Pierre called it unconstitutional. Who rules who?
Plainsman Should you be elected, are there specific committees upon which you would seek appointment, and/or are there specific areas or pieces of legislation that you are looking at initiating or working upon?
Schmidt As a Vietnam veteran, Id like to be on a veterans health committee. The care is good, but the communication needs work. My experience as a vet makes me very helpful in this area. I also have some issues and great ideas that were shared with me that Id like to take to Pierre.
Wheeler I am currently the chair of the Senate Commerce and Energy committee, and I serve on the Judiciary Committee State Affairs Committee. I would seek to continue to serve on those committees.
One topic that I know will require further work is election integrity. I firmly believe we already have safe, secure, and reliable elections in this state, but that doesnt mean we cant make improvements. I wrote and sponsored the bill to require a post-election audit in South Dakota so that voters could have confidence that their ballots are being counted correctly. The bill passed and our first such audit was after the primary election with another to be take place after the general election. As with any new process, it will likely need some fine-tuning, so I want to take the feedback we will receive from the county auditors, the Secretary of State, and the public on how it worked and turn that into a bill to improve on the work we have already done.
Plainsman One of the ballot measures – generally referred to as the food tax – could create a large shortfall in the state budget if it passes and goes into effect. If it does go into effect, what would you see as the best way forward to fill that shortfall?
Wheeler The biggest problem with this measure is that there is no definition of anything sold for human consumption. As the Attorney General noted in his explanation, the common definition includes more than food and drink. It repeals the tax on tobacco and medical marijuana. And it may also repeal the tax on many other items. We just dont know the true extent of the bill. So answering a question about how to fill a shortfall requires guessing whether the shortfall will be $123 million dollars on the low end or $646 million on the high end (both of these numbers are based on estimates from the Legislative Research Council).
When the Legislature considered tax cuts in the 2023 session, I supported the cut to the broad-based sales tax because it was the most responsible way to return money to the people while maintaining a consistent, stable budget.
In the event that IM 28 passes, I will interpret that as a message that the people do not want to tax food. So I would support revising the language so that only the taxes on food and drink are repealed (excluding alcohol and prepared food), which would then reinstate the tax on tobacco, marijuana, and other non-food items. However, that will be a 2/3 vote in the Legislature, and there is no guarantee that it passes. And even with that change, there will be at least $130 million dollars taken out of the annual budget. Add to that the fact that tax revenue this fiscal year is already lower than projected, and the only way to balance the budget will be cuts to spending. The two largest parts of the state budget are education and Medicaid (such as nursing home) spending, so it will be impossible to balance the budget without some cuts in those areas. I have been working hard to increase teacher pay and reduce the teacher shortage while keeping within our budget. If IM 28 passes, we will lose many of the gains we have made in that area.
Schmidt We have lost a lot of money to embezzlement. Those responsible for millions of dollars should have their books checked yearly. And the federal money that Pierre has turned down could have helped the budget. Eliminating tax breaks from some corporations could make up a significant portion of the shortfall. All these options should be considered.
Plainsman Tell the voters why you are the better choice to represent them in the S.D. State Senate for the next two years.
Schmidt I entered this race because many people tell me their legislators are not listening. They go to Pierre and are taken in by special interest groups like Summit Carbon Solutions. I have support from both parties. Many landowners dont want that hazardous CO2 pipeline. They dont want this big corporation to take your easement rights from them. Its their land. Generations have put their blood, sweat and tears into this land. Growing up on a farm, I know the land is a part of them.
The local communities make ordinances that Summit should not break through. I am not just another politician. I am a public servant. If you vote me in, I work for you, regardless of party. I have no time for special interest groups. I wont be bought.
Please go to the Legislative Research Council and look at SB201. See whose name you find there.
Finally, I am not covering all the ballot measures, because there is so much I need to share.
Wheeler I have the experience to get results. Having served for four years, I know the people, the process, and the pitfalls. My legal background gives me the skills to listen to the concerns of my constituents, and when there is a legislative solution to a problem, I can write the bill to solve it. I have done that for constituents in each of the four sessions I have served in.
I am not an extremist or an ideologue. I believe that the best solutions come from respectful discussion, thorough research, and finding common ground.
As a member of the Senate Republican leadership, I have a seat at the table when important decisions are being made. This ensures that the concerns of the people of District 22 are heard with a strong voice. I want to continue to be your voice in Pierre.
Leave a Reply