Smith runs for Dist. 7 senator

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BROOKINGS – V.J. Smith of Brookings has announced his candidacy for the South Dakota State Senate seat from District 7. 

On the state legislative level, there are six seats between Districts 4 and 7 up for election this year, all with two-year terms.

For District 4, the spots are now held by Reps. Jason Kettwig and John Mills and Sen. John Wiik.

For District 7, currently serving are Reps. Spence Hawley and Tim Reed and Sen. Larry Tidemann. Hawley and Tidemann are both term-limited out of their current posts and do not plan to run for the other house.

One candidate, Cory Ann Ellis, has filed for a District 7 House seat as an independent.

“I’m adamant on this idea of listening to each other,” Smith said of running for office. “Nothing ever gets done by people shouting, but a lot of things get done by people listening.”

Originally from Eureka, Smith has been living in Brookings for 35 years. He and his wife, Julie, have six adult children and two grandchildren.

He is a 1978 graduate of South Dakota State University.

“I had two majors: history and political science. Ever since I was young, I’ve had an interest in politics. I felt one day, when the timing was right, I would venture into the arena,” Smith said.

He returned to SDSU in 1990 to serve as assistant to the athletic director. In 1996, he was named the executive director of the SDSU Alumni Association and held that position for 10 years. For the past 12 years, he has been a full-time professional speaker and travels throughout the United States. He is also a published author.

He feels the time is right for him to step into the arena.

“Frankly, the tone of politics right now isn’t what it should be,” Smith said. “Studies have shown we are quite divided, and the reason why we’re divided is because we’re not doing a very good job of listening to each other.”

He’s found out people only want to hear information that they agree with and criticize the information they don’t like.

He’s learned how to communicate.

“My seven brothers and sisters are all Democrats,” says the Republican candidate. “When we get in family discussions, we talk to each other, so you get to understand the other side.”

Family and profession have equipped him for life in politics.

“I get paid to speak,” Smith said of his career. “I think I’m a good listener. I think I could bring that to the position because you have to listen to both sides or three sides or four sides. Then try to match those with your thinking and the interests of your district. I’m good at it.”

He wants to give back. And his job has taken him all over the state and given him a good look at what’s important to a cross-section of the population.

“I’ve been involved in many things in the Brookings area over the years. I have been in every city in the state of South Dakota, I’ve talked in almost every school in the state of South Dakota. I’m very familiar with the place,” he said.

Smith vows the job won’t interfere with his political work.

“The traveling stops for the time that the session is on,” he said. But he’s willing to do so, to get an opportunity to serve.

“It would be a thrill to represent the citizens of this district knowing how special this district is. It would be a thrill of a lifetime,” Smith said.

The petition-filing deadline for Republicans and Democrats is March 27. For those running as Independents, the deadline for submitting petitions is April 24.

Petitions for county or legislative races can be picked up at the Brookings County Finance Office or printed from the South Dakota secretary of state’s website at www.sdsos.gov.

If there are any primaries for these races, they would be held on June 5. The general election takes place Nov. 6.

Contact Jodelle Greiner at jgreiner@brookingsregister.com.