Jessica Hegge of Platte has officially announced she is running for a District 21 State Representative seat in the upcoming general election on November 3rd. District 21 includes Charles Mix, Gregory, and Tripp counties and a portion of Bon Homme county. She will be running against Republican candidates Caleb Finck from Tripp and Rocky Blare from Ideal. The top two vote getters will win seats in the SD House of Representatives.

Following is a brief bio, history, and priorities for Jessica Hegge.

Where I Come From

Jessica is a sixth generation South Dakotan and comes from a long line of famers and ranchers. Jessica grew up on the family farm in Douglas County where she learned the value of hard work, responsibility, empathy, and sacrifice. What she learned from caring for the land, livestock, and family are lessons she practices every day.

Jessica is the mother to three small children and is married to Casey, a small business owner and operator. Jessica is a first-generation attorney who provides legal services to rural and underserved communities. Jessica graduated from the University of South Dakota School of Law in 2012 where she was awarded the CALI Excellence for the Future Award and Dean’s Certificate for Outstanding Performance in the study of legislation. She is a member of the South Dakota Bar in good standing. Jessica practices law at Larson Law PC in Chamberlain, SD and has acted as a Deputy State’s Attorney since 2012.

Practicing law in small communities and rural areas is Jessica’s calling. She believes strongly in public service and hard work. Jessica is passionate about supporting our rural communities, farmers/ ranchers, small businesses, and schools, and hopes to do more to help her fellow South Dakotans by serving in the state legislature.

Jessica’s Priorities

Education: Jessica believes that every child deserves a quality education and that education is key to future success. Our educators are invaluable and irreplaceable and need to be paid accordingly. Jessica believes we need to listen to our educators regarding their needs and she will work within the legislature to make effective changes.

Healthcare: Jessica will work to increase access to healthcare in our rural communities with a goal to increase options and access to mental health, addiction, and suicide prevention services. She would also work towards expanding Medicaid to close the gap between the Affordable Care Act and SD’s current Medicaid standards.

Agriculture: Jessica believes our ranchers and farmers need and deserve to get a fair price for their products. Jessica would support efforts to diversify our food processing chain through incentive programs for small ag processing businesses. Jessica supports mandatory country of origin labeling (mCOOL) and would support a similar state sponsored labeling program.

Closing Remarks/Comments from Jessica

I grew up in a family of strong Republicans, but I am running for office as a Democrat. I hate partisan politics and believe it is a major barrier to progress. With both parties striving to advance their particular interests rather than those of the public more broadly, everyone loses. I believe most people fall somewhere in the middle ground between the two parties, and that we have more in common then we realize.

I believe in voting for the person, not the party. I think it is wrong to assume you know everything about a person based on their political party alone. We are all human and want the best for our community. If elected, I will support good, constitutional legislation whether it is proposed by a Republican or a Democrat. We need to work together, come to some compromises, and get things done.

My deep connection to rural life in South Dakota and professional experience as an attorney sets me apart from other candidates. Not only do I understand the issues facing South Dakotans on a local level, but I have the professional skills to facilitate real changes within the State Legislature if elected. For years, I have witnessed important issues such as education, healthcare, and agriculture being ignored by our State Legislature. District 21 deserves a Representative that will move our State forward in these areas. I have the courage to take on these difficult issues and will do what is right. If elected, I will use my South Dakota values, education, experience, and common-sense to improve District 21 and South Dakota. Let’s move forward together.