Democrat Gary L. Hargens and Republican Craig Tieszen are newcomers seeking to connect with their neighbors in bidding for District 34's single Senate seat. Meanwhile, first-time Democratic challengers Bonny Petersen and Lisa Cook are working to upset Republican incumbents Ed McLaughlin and David Lust for the two district House seats.

Gary L. HargensFor the Senate seat vacated by term limits, Hargens has arranged for his last political literature mailing to arrive at 3,700 households during this last week of campaigning. It isn't Hargens' first time in the political arena; he was one of eight candidates in a mayoral race won by Alan Hanks.

"My biggest motivation to run is I want to know where the money goes once it gets to Pierre - How is spending decided? What is the process? And how does it get spent? I think a lot of people would like to know the answers to these questions and I am one of them," he said.

Starting his door-to-door campaign in north Rapid City in late September, the main concerns he has found has been what the Legislature will do that will affect their budget and pocketbook. Invariably, as he talks to more and more people, they bring up property taxes and education.

"They are under the impression that video lottery would fully fund education, that property taxes would not have to be used to fund education, and they want to know, 'What happened?'" Hargens said.

If elected, he wants to focus on education funding and its formula.

"The governor just came saying we have a $25 million shortfall that will affect education, highway projects and other programs," he said.

Priorities will have to be set up to fund the state's programs, and some may end up being cut, which isn't what you want, but may end up happening, he said.

"It's going to be tough," Hargens said.

Craig Tieszen

This is Tieszen's first campaign since he ran for student body president at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Tieszen, 59, joined the Rapid City Police Department in 1975 and served his entire career in law enforcement in Rapid City. He retired last year, after serving the last seven years as police chief.

He maintains his community service through several local boards and committee membership.

"I've always been the kind of person that wants to interact with people to make a difference. That's dominated my law enforcement career; and those same motives push me to run for state Legislature," he said.

In his contested primary, Tieszen said he heard a lot of his neighbors talk about the budget crisis in education. The newest concern is the effect of Wall Street on the local economy.

"Education was the biggest crisis in the community, but obviously the economy is on the front burner now," he said.

He says his public service record in the community will not only help district voters in making their decision in selecting a representative, but will serve him well in Pierre as well. He knows there will be 500 bills introduced during the 2009 legislative session. If elected, he will listen, learn and make decisions on all of them.

"I'm going interested in education and to see that it gets the priority that it needs. I'm going to look out for local government. And I will watch out for the criminal justice issues that are a part of my background," he said.

Bonny Petersen

With 28 years experience in health care, Petersen, a registered nurse and Democrat, hopes to upset the Republican incumbents with her fresh perspective. She has founded her own business, taught classes - she's a certified secondary schoolteacher - and served as president of the Parent Teacher Association.

"Every day I see people who forgo treatment for themselves and their children because they cannot afford the cost of medical care. Rapid City is also facing a shortage of long-term beds in nursing home facilities. We need our loved ones near by, not across the state. I think we can do more to keep the elderly in their own homes. I think my background uniquely qualifies me to address the health care issues facing our state," Petersen said.

Petersen, 53, takes her message to forums, debates, service organizations and door to door. What she has discovered in conversations with district residents is disappointment in current government as well as the deepening recession.

Petersen has three issues she hopes to represent if elected - health care, investment in families and developing alternative energy sources.

"I am the wife of a 26-year military veteran, and my son is currently serving in the Middle East. We need to honor our military by not sending them to fight wars for oil," she said.

"We need to build alternative energy sources. Our neighboring states have made progress in this area. It will provide a new wave of good jobs and help keep people here in South Dakota," she said.

Lisa Cook

An attorney, former counselor and mediator, Democratic challenger Lisa Cook believes she has the skills and knowledge to make a good representative.

"I want to contribute to the dialogue and I want to help solve problems," she said.

Cook said she has talked to hundreds of people, and they consistently convey disappointment in the government and the economy, and fear about its effect on their retirement funds and future job security.

"South Dakota has the lowest unemployment rate in the nation, however, many of those jobs are minimum-wage jobs. With the increase of gas and grocery prices, these families are feeling the squeeze," Cook said.

Cook also has a son serving in the military in the Middle East. She, too, sees a better state if it were to develop its natural resources into renewable energy.

"I would focus on alternative energy development. Wind, solar, geothermal, biofuel, biomass and natural gas are the resources we can use. I think that is the most sound way to bring higher revenues to South Dakota. It will bring high tech, high skills and high-quality jobs to South Dakota," she said.

Through research and looking at what other states have achieved, the sooner South Dakota can develop a sustainable alternative policy and get away from fossil fuels, the better, she said.

"I would like to see South Dakota become a leader, to participate in the national and global energy markets," Cook said.

David LustIn his first term in office, Republican incumbent Lust served on the Judiciary and Taxation committees, which dovetailed nicely with his profession as a business attorney.

"I want to contribute to the policies that will impact me and my family. I work with business, business code and regulations. That has been my focus in my first term," he said.

Lust, 40, has been working with volunteers and his family to get his re-election message to district voters. In his time spent in the different neighborhoods, he has heard complaints about the nation's weakening economy.

"I think everyone in the state is concerned about the economy and how it will impact them locally," he said.

On the dwindling sales tax revenue and the services provided by the state, future programs and services will need to be carefully considered, he said. "But it's premature for solutions. I meet daily with businesses. I get year-round input from the business community and the issues that are impacting them."

"I'm focused on a regulatory climate and the improvement of the economic climate. I carried bills on the West River Higher Education Center, bills that refine our business code and on our economy both directly and indirectly," he said.

Lust wants to keep the Legislature focused on goals that are two to five years into the future, while staying calm during this rollercoaster economy.

"We're going to have difficult decisions to make in Pierre," he said.

Ed McLaughlin

Incumbent Ed McLaughlin, 80, would like to see South Dakota make far better use of its railroads.

In the last week of his campaign, the Republican House representative, who served as vice chairman of the Education Committee and on the Transportation Committee, is aware that sales taxes are down on fuel, which in turn affects transportation.

"We're short on funding on highways. We have to make far better use of our railroads and look at shifts and efficiencies on that. If you can reduce that heavy truck traffic, it saves costs to road repair. We also have to come up with a model to move freight," he said.

In his 14-year political career as city council member, Rapid City mayor and now House member, he likes campaigning and meeting his neighbors and listening to their concerns.

"It keeps you in touch with your constituents," he said.

The concerns continually change, the economy has swooped in now. But initially he heard a lot of complaints about education, energy and the cost of gas prices, he said.

"The education funding and education formula needs tweaking, because there won't be a lot of new money here with our economy," McLaughlin said. "If I'm elected, it's possible that I'll be chair of the education committee of the House."

If McLaughlin doesn't serve this term, he'll go on to something else.

"I think you want to try to leave things better than what you found them," he said.

Contact Jomay Steen at 394-8418 or jomay.steen@rapidcityjournal.com.