Following in the footsteps of U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem, 2018 U.S. House of Representatives candidates Dusty Johnson and S.D. Secretary of State Shantel Krebs are gaining some national attention.
Krebs and Johnson were deemed "On the Radar" for the National Republican Congressional Committee's (NRCC) Young Guns program Thursday. Seven years ago, before upsetting then-Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin in the 2010 election, Noem was also deemed "On the Radar" of the NRCC.
The program pinpoints candidates who "show promise of running a successful campaign," and Krebs and Johnson were two of 31 candidates announced Thursday. The pair will battle for the Republican nomination in next summer's primary.
"These 31 candidates are formidable competitors against the liberal agenda of Nancy Pelosi and the left," NRCC Chairman and Ohio Rep. Steve Stivers said in a press release. "We look forward to working with these candidates to grow our Republican majority and enact policies that help hard working Americans."
And last week, in separate email responses to The Daily Republic, the pair of GOP candidates offered their top priorities for their first 100 days in office if elected to the at-large seat. The two Republicans stayed true to their conservative principles with their answers.
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"I am a believer that solutions to our problems are more likely to be found in our states and communities that in Washington, D.C." Johnson said, a Mitchell resident. "... I would work overtime to allow states the opportunity to innovate and find better ways to run their programs."
Johnson offered the example of the federal government prohibiting states from "accountability measures like work requirements of Medicaid or drug testing for recipients of some types of government assistance."
Krebs' answer was short and sweet, hitting on core conservative principles.
"Rein in wasteful government spending and balance the budget," Krebs said. "Bring accountability back to government. Repeal Obamacare."
The pair are aiming for the opportunity to match up with Democrats Tim Bjorkman or Chris Martian and independent George Hendrickson in November 2018. The five candidates are vying for the seat being vacated by Noem, who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor to replace term-limited Gov. Dennis Daugaard.
