2008 Woodie Awards
Jackrabbits to run for State House
Two recent graduates and one transfer student kick off campaigns for legislature.
Katrina Sargent
Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: News
Three former SDSU students are running in the upcoming South Dakota State Legislature election. Jason Frerichs graduated from SDSU in 2007 and is running for a seat in District 1, Mitch Fargen graduated in May 2007 and is vying for a spot in District 8 and Travis Lape is running for a District 19 seat (Lape currently attends the University of Sioux Falls but spent his 2005-2006 here at SDSU.)
"I've always wanted to be more involved," said Frerichs.
"People really want to see somebody with passion to fight for constituents and what is right," said Lape.
"I've been wanting to run for a while, and this is a great opportunity," said Fargen, who is not facing the challenge of incumbents in his race. "There is a need for change; a lot of economic development and education issues are not being brought up."
In Frerichs' experience, the older people are glad to see young people running and getting involved.
Lape is excited for the young and old to get together and come up with refreshing ideas.
All three of the candidates have experience of some kind, be it in student government, FFA, legislative internships or working on political campaigns for various candidates.
Fargen served as State and Local Government Chair for the Students' Association (SA) and helped lobby for the new wellness center. He also attended Brookings City Council meetings and was a liaison with the city. "I dealt with a lot over 11 years and worked with 40 different campaigns," he said
Lape has served as the state president of FFA and the student body president at the University of Sioux Falls.
Frerichs said the most influential campaign he helped with was Jim Peterson's re-election campaign. Frerichs hopes to someday be in Peterson's league, performing his duties to the fullest and serving people.
All three candidates agreed that working on others' campaigns is a lot different than working on their own.
"It was way different when I worked for other people. It wasn't my voice, my ideas or my name," said Fargen.
"I've always wanted to be more involved," said Frerichs.
"People really want to see somebody with passion to fight for constituents and what is right," said Lape.
"I've been wanting to run for a while, and this is a great opportunity," said Fargen, who is not facing the challenge of incumbents in his race. "There is a need for change; a lot of economic development and education issues are not being brought up."
In Frerichs' experience, the older people are glad to see young people running and getting involved.
Lape is excited for the young and old to get together and come up with refreshing ideas.
All three of the candidates have experience of some kind, be it in student government, FFA, legislative internships or working on political campaigns for various candidates.
Fargen served as State and Local Government Chair for the Students' Association (SA) and helped lobby for the new wellness center. He also attended Brookings City Council meetings and was a liaison with the city. "I dealt with a lot over 11 years and worked with 40 different campaigns," he said
Lape has served as the state president of FFA and the student body president at the University of Sioux Falls.
Frerichs said the most influential campaign he helped with was Jim Peterson's re-election campaign. Frerichs hopes to someday be in Peterson's league, performing his duties to the fullest and serving people.
All three candidates agreed that working on others' campaigns is a lot different than working on their own.
"It was way different when I worked for other people. It wasn't my voice, my ideas or my name," said Fargen.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Fargen? You have got to be kidding?
posted 4/24/08 @ 4:08 PM CST
Any student who barely graduates from college (after 7 years!), can't get into lawschool, is a beer swilling mellonhead should NOT be elected to any public office
johnny
posted 10/14/08 @ 2:24 PM CST
i second that!
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