10/8/2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Emmett Reistroffer Announces Campaign for South Dakota House District 35

RAPID CITY, SD — Local business and public policy professional Emmett Reistroffer today announced his campaign for the South Dakota House of Representatives, District 35, running in the Republican Primary on June 2nd.

Reistroffer promises straightforward, no-bull leadership that puts the people of District 35 first, prioritizing real taxpayer relief, public safety and long-term reforms to ensure fiscal responsibility and bring accountability and transparency to Pierre.

“District 35 is full of brave men and women who’ve served our country and hardworking families just trying to make ends meet. I’m running for them,” said Reistroffer.

A Vision for South Dakota’s Future

Reistroffer’s platform is built on freedom, accountability, and innovation, including:

• Free People: Protect freedoms and family values

• Free Markets: Support sustainable, long-term economic growth without government handouts

• Safer Neighborhoods: Fix our broken justice system and back first responders

• Smaller Government: Cut red tape and wasteful spending, enact long-term reforms

• Transparency & Accountability: Demand transparency and accountability across every level of government, in every department, agency and office—if taxpayers fund it—taxpayers deserve to see it

• Educating Future Leaders: Equip the next generation with knowledge, work skills and ethics to be successful in an evolving world

• Support Military & Veterans: Honor our heroes and fight for them with urgency

• Ethical Government: Expose corruption and stop it before it starts

• Responsible Innovation: Embrace technology to serve, not replace, people

Putting Taxpayers First

Reistroffer is proposing a Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) to cap government growth, require voter approval for new taxes, and mandate automatic refunds when revenues exceed limits.

“No more slush funds or luxury perks for politicians,” said Reistroffer. “Politicians always talk about cutting waste and spending, but it’s just talk, no action. I want to impose caps by law, like speeding limits for spending, that will trigger automatic refunds to taxpayers before the politicians can spend our hard-earned money on whatever they want. If the state collects more money than it should, give it back, period.”

He’s preparing draft legislation and a visual model showing how much could have been returned in the past decade, and how much could be returned in future scenarios – under a TABOR framework.

Reistroffer also points to the costly new prison project as proof of failed leadership:

“We didn’t have a choice but to build it, but let’s be honest, it’s the price of ignoring a broken system for decades. I welcome Governor Rhoden’s new task force, but I won’t forget Governor Daugaard’s task force in 2014, because we know how well that worked out.”

About Emmett Reistroffer

A (mostly) lifelong South Dakotan, Reistroffer built his career in public policy, entrepreneurship, leading organizations and community advocacy by always focusing on getting results.

He helped build Genesis Farms, South Dakota’s largest state-licensed medical cannabis company, employing nearly 150 people in Box Elder and across the state. A conservative and pragmatic leader, Reistroffer has supported responsible regulations for his industry by being a voice of reason during legislative and rule-making debates – and he isn’t just another “pro-pot” activist, he opposed previous legalization ballot measures because he believed they were poorly written. Emmett has gone on record multiple times in support of law enforcement to stop illegal marijuana sellers in various communities across the state.

He’s active in the community through the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce, Mt. Rushmore Masonic Lodge #220, and Young Republicans — and regularly joins police ride-alongs to stay informed of street-level issues.