Candidate for SD House District 13
I’m John Hughes, and I am running for District 13 house. I am an attorney and small business owner and have practiced law the past 40 years in Sioux Falls. South Dakota is a great place to live because we have a tradition of good people answering the call to public service and protecting our way of life.
You can ALWAYS count on me to:
Protect Life, Liberty and Property
Protect Public Safety in Our Homes & Neighborhoods
Support Responsible Economic Development
Personal freedom.
I will support and defend all the individual rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, including the Second Amendment. I am a Life Member of the NRA.
Lower property taxes.
I oppose taxing people out of their homes with high property taxes that are spiraling out of control. We need property tax relief and reform.
Property rights.
I oppose the use by private interests of eminent domain to acquire easement rights or other landowner rights for projects that have no public benefit.
Parental Rights.
I support parental rights and believe that parents are best equipped to make decisions affecting their children.
Education and school choice.
I support the right of parents to direct the education of their children. I support their right to choose what education option is best for their kids, whether it’s public school, private school, Christian school, or homeschool.
Crack down on crime.
I will support assisting local governments to achieve fully staffed levels of law enforcement officers, and especially patrol officers, so that our homes and neighborhoods are safe. People deserve to live without fear of their cars, garages, or homes being broken into in the middle of the night.
Fentanyl.
I will propose legislation that makes transporting Fentanyl into South Dakota for purposes of distribution a Class 2 felony, with a mandatory 25-year prison sentence. It’s time we take a tougher stand against this drug that is ruining the lives of South Dakotans and their families.
Pro-life and pro-adoption.
I’m unequivocally pro-life and pro-adoption. In 2022, my wife, Beth, and I were honored in Washington, D.C., with the “Angels in Adoption Award” from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, in recognition of building more than 500 families through adoptions in 45 states.
Protect children from sexually explicit content.
I will support legislation that requires age-verification to access sexually explicit websites to protect South Dakota children – the same concept as websites for medications, alcohol, tobacco, and firearms.
Ground-Up Economic Development.
I support ground-up economic development because healthy small businesses are the real workhorse that will keep South Dakota’s economy strong. Nationally, small businesses account for more than 60% of new jobs, and about 40% of private sector payroll. I will support providing incentives to small businesses to grow and expand. Small businesses owners and employees are strong supporters of our schools, churches, and non-profits organizations.
Tie incentives to real wage growth.
I support tying large-scale economic development incentives to increases in real wage and income growth for South Dakota workers and their families.