Ladner, Goodwin, Hulse pull ahead

It appears District 30 will have Republican representation across the board when the South Dakota Legislature convenes in January, as all three Republican candidates were winning their races as of press time in yesterday’s General Election.

In the race for two seats in the state House of Representatives, Republican incumbent Trish Ladner was leading with 41 percent of the vote, while fellow Republican Tim Goodwin was also around 41 percent. Democrat challenger Susan Scheirbeck was trailing at 18 percent of the vote.

In the race for a two-year term in the state senate, Republican Amber Hulse was cruising to a victory, as she was ahead with 73 percent of the vote to 27 percent for Bret Swanson. Both those races had nine of 26 precincts reporting.

In the statewide races, incumbent Republican Kristie Fiegen was winning easily to retain her seat on the Public Utilities Commission with 71 percent of the vote, while Democrat Forrest Wilson was at 24 percent and Libertarian Gideon Oakes was at 5 percent of the vote.

Republican Congressman Dusty Johnson will remain in the United States House of Representatives, as he was cruising to victory with 75 percent of the vote to Democrat challenger Sheryl Johnson’s 25 percent.

When it comes to the numerous ballot measures, Constitutional Amendment E, which would have updated gender preferences for certain officeholders and persons in the state constitution, was failing by a 61 percent to 39 percent margin.

Constitutional Amendment F, which would require individuals eligible for expanded Medicaid benefits to work, was passing by a 55-45 percent margin.

Constitutional Amendment G, which would have established a right to abortion in the state constitution, was failing by a 63-37 percent margin.

Constitutional Amendment H, which would have established top-two primary elections, was failing by a 68-32 percent margin.

Initiated Measure 28, which would have prohibited taxes on anything sold for human consumption, was failing by a 72-28 percent margin, while Initiated Measure 29, a measure to legalize recreational marijuana, was failing by a 59-41 percent margin.

The one referred law on the ballot, Referred Law 21, would have provided new statutory requirements for regulating linear transmission facilities to allow counties to impose a surcharge on certain pipeline companies and establish a landowner bill of rights, was failing by a 62-38 percent vote.