Four vie for two seats in state House of Representatives

Four candidates—three Republicans and one Democrat—are vying for a pair of two-year terms to represent District 30 in the South Dakota House of Representatives.
Two of the candidates are already serving District 30, while the other two have sought a seat  in the legislature before.
Incumbent Republican Tim Goodwin lives north of Three Forks near Sheridan Lake, and has served eight years in the House of Representatives.
“They say the Senate is a symphony and the House is a rock concert,” he said. “I”m more of a rock concert type of person.”
Goodwin said he is running for reelection to give the people of District 30 a “rather loud” voice in Pierre “and actually get things accomplished.”
Goodwin is a retired veteran, having served in the U.S. Army for 24 years as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. He was also a business owner for 20 years.
Goodwin is a board member for the Community Lutheran Church in Hill City, a committeeman for the Republican Party for the Keystone Precinct, chairman of Military and Veteran Affairs Committee, member of the Transportation Committee, and member of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee in the House of Representatives and past House Majority Whip.
Goodwin said he feels his  experiences  have given him the necessary background to able to serve the people of the district  admirably in  the state legislature.
“I am the only member of the 105 legislators that has retired off active duty  in any branch of service,” he said.
Goodwin touts his eight years legislative experience as being a big factor in his candidacy, as well as what he says are great connections within state cabinets and the governor’s office. 
“I also have very good relations with the Legislative Research Council (LRC). This is important because they assist in all legislation and are a very valuable asset,” he said. “Lastly it is where I’m at in life. My family is raised (we are empty nesters) and I’m retired so I do not have job conflicts and can represent the citizens in district on a daily basis.”
As far as the biggest issues facing District 30 over the next few years, Goodwin said “there are a lot of them,” including the  need to get Missouri River Water to the area so water rights are not stolen by down stream states.
“And,” he said, “we’re going to need the water.”
Goodwin said we need to be supportive of the B21 mission coming to Ellsworth Air Force Base  and do our best to support the mission, and need continued legislation on property taxes.
“We also need to attack radically high assessments of our homes,” he said. “This also snowballs into higher home owner insurance rates.”
Goodwin said there is a need to increase revenue to support the “Big Three”
of  education, health care and state employees.
“We need to do this without raising taxes. In my opinion our legislature made a huge mistake in losing a GEVO ethanol jet fuel plant that was proposed by Lake Preston,” he said. “That was a $2 billion industry. We put up so many barriers they moved to North Dakota.”
Goodwin touted the property tax bills passed during the most recent legislative session, saying for once in the state’s history, a break was given to bill payers—that being homeowners of this district and state.
Goodwin said we also need to be vigilant in keeping the federal veterans facility as well as the State Veteran Home in Hot Springs.
“I want to focus on the suicide rates of our veterans. We lost five in one month last year. We also do not have a list of all our veterans in our district and our state,” he said. “This is unacceptable to me and if I’m reelected I want to serve again as chairman of Military Veterans Committee and put the full weight of my position and that committee to address this problem. That’s the least we can do for our veterans.”
Fellow Republican Steve Saint owns Fort Welikit just north of Custer on Sylvan Lake Road, and says he is running for District 30 because he has spent the last several years actively working with legislators to get real, local issues across the finish line, and he believes it’s time to bring that experience directly to Pierre.
“As a small business owner, I understand firsthand how state policy impacts property owners, employers and families in our communities. I’ve helped advance legislation on campground regulations and broader property rights, and I want to continue that work in a more effective role,” he said. “District 30 deserves a representative who brings practical experience, a strong work ethic and a clear focus on protecting property rights, supporting small business, addressing housing challenges and strengthening our local communities.”
Saint is the current treasurer of the South Dakota Campground Owners Association, current treasurer of Rivers and Rockies Outdoor Lodging Coalition, former president of the South Dakota Campground Owners Association, and former board member of Black Hills, Badlands and Lakes Tourism Association.
Saint said if elected, he would bring practical, real-world experience, a strong work ethic, and a results-driven mindset to the position.
“As a small business owner, I understand how state policies impact families, employers and property owners in everyday life. I’ve also spent several years working directly with legislators to help move meaningful legislation forward, so I understand the process and how to be effective from day one,” Saint said. “I believe in being accessible, accountable and willing to listen to the people I represent. My focus is on delivering practical solutions, protecting property rights, supporting small businesses, addressing housing challenges and strengthening our local communities, while representing District 30 with integrity.”
Saint said the biggest issues facing South Dakota over the next few years are housing, property taxes, workforce availability and maintaining strong local communities.
Housing affordability and availability have become real challenges, especially in areas like the Black Hills, he said.
“We need practical solutions that encourage development while respecting local control and infrastructure limits,” he said. “At the same time, rising property taxes are putting pressure on homeowners and small businesses, and we need to ensure the system remains fair, transparent and sustainable.”
Saint said workforce shortages continue to impact businesses across the state, limiting growth and putting strain on existing employees, and addressing this will require a combination of housing solutions, workforce development and policies that support small businesses.
“Finally, we need to ensure our communities remain strong by supporting public safety, law enforcement, fire, EMS, and search and rescue, and protecting the quality of life that makes South Dakota a great place to live and work,” he said.
On property taxes, Saint said they are one of the biggest concerns he hears from homeowners and small businesses, and he believes there needs to be a more balanced and transparent system.
“As property values rise, many people are seeing significant tax increases even when their income hasn’t changed, which puts real pressure on families, retirees and local employers,” he said.
Saint added housing and affordability remain major concerns, especially in growing areas like the Black Hills, workforce shortages continue to limit growth for small businesses and essential services, infrastructure and growth management are becoming more important as communities expand and protecting property rights and local control  continues to be a core issue.
“South Dakota is at a point where growth brings both opportunity and pressure, and how we respond over the next few years will shape our future for decades. We need to stay focused on practical, commonsense solutions, keeping our communities strong, our economy growing, and our way of life intact,”  Saint said. “I’m running to bring real-world experience, a strong work ethic, and a commitment to getting things done. My goal is simple: to represent District 30 with integrity, common sense, and a focus on results that matter to the people who live and work here.”
Trish Ladner, another incumbent Republican, is a Hot Springs resident and executive director of Visit Hot Springs SD, and owner/partner of PR Marketing Group, LLC. She has served on the legislative executive board for two years and is the South Dakota state chair for the American Legislative Exchange Program, a conservative organization that brings together state legislators from across America and private sector representatives to work together on model legislation at the federal and state level.
Ladner has served in the South Dakota House of Representatives and said she is seeking reelection to the house because there is still important work to be done for the people of District 30.
“Over the past six years, I’ve focused on meaningful tax relief, responsible spending, and strengthening our rural communities. We’ve made real progress, but major issues remain — including property taxes, school funding, rural water infrastructure and EMS services,” she said. “These are longterm challenges that require experience, persistence, and a willingness to take on difficult debates. I care deeply about this district and want to continue delivering practical, commonsense solutions that protect taxpayers, support families and ensure our communities remain strong for the future.”
Ladner said she brings persistence, transparency and a strong work ethic to the South Dakota House.
“Over the past six years, I’ve shown that I’m willing to take on difficult issues, stay focused and work through complex policy challenges,” she said. “I listen carefully to constituents, do my homework  and approach every issue with common sense rather than partisanship. I’m committed to accountability in government, responsible spending and longterm planning for our rural communities. Most importantly, I show up, put in the work, and follow through.”
Ladner said South Dakota’s biggest challenges over the next few years include property taxes, school funding and longterm rural infrastructure and mining issues in the Black Hills.
“We also support our teachers, raise student proficiency and manage school dollars responsibly,” Ladner said. “Rural water and EMS funding are also critical as West River communities grow and evolve. In addition, the state will continue to face decisions on data centers, mining and school choice.”
On the property tax issue, Ladner said the work is not done and she believes the legislature will continue to improve and refine the property tax system as it moves forward.
“SB 245 is a strong, practical bill that provides meaningful property tax relief for homeowners,” she said. “Some critics argue that this proposal simply shifts the tax burden onto sales taxes. However, that claim overlooks a key fact:  the current reduced sales tax rate of 4.2 percent is already scheduled to expire on June 30, 2027. At that point, the rate will automatically revert to its original level of 4.5 percent.  What this legislation does is straightforward—it captures that already-planned 0.3 percent  revision and directs it into a dedicated fund for single-family property tax relief. In other words, it does not create a new tax or raise rates; it simply ensures those funds are used to directly benefit single-family homeowners and not absorbed back into the deep black hole of the general fund.”
Ladner said she wants people to know she takes the job seriously and never forgets who she works for.
“I show up, do the homework and fight for practical, commonsense solutions that strengthen our rural communities,” she said. “District 30 is my home, and I’m committed to protecting its values, its families and its future. I’m grateful for the trust people have placed in me, and I will continue working hard every day to earn it.”
In the fall the two Republicans who advance from the primary will face Democrat Bret Swanson of the Hermosa area in the general election.
Swanson is a college instructor who served on the board of the Humane Society of the Black Hills for three years and the Rapid City Area Schools Board of Education for five years.
Swanson said he is running for a seat in the state house because he wants the constituents of District 30 to know there is viable choice between those who are servile to the ruling party and someone who wants to help them. He said he would bring open-mindedness, honesty and creativity to the position.
As for the biggest issues facing District 30 over the next few years, Swanson said the western part of the state is facing an historic drought, which is directly related to protection of our watershed.   
“The state needs to raise the minimum wage, offer childcare assistance and protect people with exorbitant medical bills from bankruptcy,” he said. “There needs to be a comprehensive approach to addressing educational deficiencies; mandatory early childhood education should be part of that.”
Swanson said for context, the largest publicly funded project in the state’s history is a penitentiary—$350 million for a “big, fat, ugly jail.”
“Not a school, not a museum, not a power plant, not even a sports arena,” he said. “A monument to a failed system. This is a symbol of how shortsighted and backwards the state is and has been. Basically, most people want practical solutions to the problems they face not empty talk about who is or is not allowed to play sports.”
 Swanson said relying on sales tax for property tax relief is regressive and wrong, and in the end it doesn’t solve the problem.
“The state agricultural production tax is fair,” he said. “That should be expanded.”
 He also said there is a serious threat to Black Hills water quality from large out-of-state mining interests and there is a need for strong legislation to protect the watershed.
Swanson said only half the state’s voters are Republican and yet 89 percent of the legislature is Republican. In District 30, Republicans have long dominated.
“Has the district benefitted from this dominance? If you like the status quo with the rich and powerful always calling the shots, taking advantage of a gamed system, you can continue to send those who support the unfair, exploitive establishment to Pierre,” he said. “Or you can choose an alternative that puts middle- and working-class people first.”