Dan Ahlers
Dan Ahlers (Democratic Party) was a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives, representing District 25. He assumed office on January 10, 2017. He left office on January 7, 2019.
Ahlers (Democratic Party) ran for election to the South Dakota House of Representatives to represent District 25. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Ahlers is a former Democratic member of the South Dakota House of Representatives, representing District 25 from 2017 to 2019. Ahlers was defeated in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Ahlers served in the South Dakota State Senate, representing District 25 from 2009 to 2011. He also served in the state House from 2006 to 2008.
Biography
Dan Ahlers was born in Dell Rapids, South Dakota. He earned a bachelor’s degree in government and international relations from Augustana University in 1997. Ahlers’s career experience includes working as a small business owner. He served as President of the Dell Rapids Chamber of Commerce and President of the Dell Rapids Community Haven Before and After School Program.[1]
Committee assignments
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| South Dakota committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Appropriations |
| • Retirement Laws |
| • Appropriations |
2011 legislative session
Prior to leaving the state Senate, Ahlers served on the following committees:
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2022
See also: South Dakota House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for South Dakota House of Representatives District 25 (2 seats)
Incumbent Jon Hansen and incumbent Randy Gross defeated Dan Ahlers and David Kills A Hundred in the general election for South Dakota House of Representatives District 25 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jon Hansen (R) | 33.8 | 6,733 |
| ✔ |  | Randy Gross (R) | 32.0 | 6,364 |
 | Dan Ahlers (D) | 22.8 | 4,535 | |
 | David Kills A Hundred (D) | 11.4 | 2,260 | |
| Total votes: 19,892 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Dan Ahlers and David Kills A Hundred advanced from the Democratic primary for South Dakota House of Representatives District 25.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Randy Gross and incumbent Jon Hansen advanced from the Republican primary for South Dakota House of Representatives District 25.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Tom Pischke (R)
2020
See also: United States Senate election in South Dakota, 2020
United States Senate election in South Dakota, 2020 (June 2 Democratic primary)
United States Senate election in South Dakota, 2020 (June 2 Republican primary)
General election
General election for U.S. Senate South Dakota
Incumbent Mike Rounds defeated Dan Ahlers in the general election for U.S. Senate South Dakota on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Mike Rounds (R) | 65.7 | 276,232 |
| Dan Ahlers (D) | 34.3 | 143,987 | |
| Total votes: 420,219 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Dan Ahlers advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate South Dakota.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Clara Hart (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. Senate South Dakota
Incumbent Mike Rounds defeated Scyller Borglum in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate South Dakota on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mike Rounds | 75.2 | 70,365 |
 | Scyller Borglum | 24.8 | 23,164 | |
| Total votes: 93,529 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2018
General election
General election for South Dakota House of Representatives District 25 (2 seats)
Jon Hansen and incumbent Tom Pischke defeated incumbent Dan Ahlers and BJ Motley in the general election for South Dakota House of Representatives District 25 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jon Hansen (R) | 32.0 | 5,982 |
| ✔ |  | Tom Pischke (R) | 28.2 | 5,272 |
| Dan Ahlers (D) | 27.7 | 5,174 | |
| BJ Motley (D) | 12.1 | 2,266 | |
| Total votes: 18,694 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for South Dakota House of Representatives District 25 (2 seats)
Incumbent Dan Ahlers and BJ Motley advanced from the Democratic primary for South Dakota House of Representatives District 25 on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Dan Ahlers |
| ✔ | | BJ Motley |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for South Dakota House of Representatives District 25 (2 seats)
Jon Hansen and incumbent Tom Pischke defeated Tamera Enalls in the Republican primary for South Dakota House of Representatives District 25 on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jon Hansen | 41.7 | 1,450 |
| ✔ | | Tom Pischke | 36.7 | 1,277 |
| Tamera Enalls | 21.6 | 751 | |
| Total votes: 3,478 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2016
Elections for the South Dakota House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on June 7, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 29, 2016. Incumbent Kris Langer (R) did not seek re-election.
Tom Pischke and Dan Ahlers defeated incumbent Roger Hunt and David Haagenson in the South Dakota House of Representatives District 25 general election.[2][3][4]
| South Dakota House of Representatives, District 25 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Tom Pischke |
31.23% | 6,390 | |
| Democratic | Dan Ahlers |
26.51% | 5,423 | |
| Republican | Roger Hunt Incumbent | 26.33% | 5,387 | |
| Democratic | David Haagenson | 15.93% | 3,259 | |
| Total Votes | 20,459 | |||
| Source: South Dakota Secretary of State | ||||
Dan Ahlers and David Haagenson defeated Ryan Tellberg in the South Dakota House of Representatives District 25 Democratic primary.[5][6]
| South Dakota House of Representatives, District 25 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Dan Ahlers |
56.11% | 918 | |
| Democratic | David Haagenson |
25.61% | 419 | |
| Democratic | Ryan Tellberg | 18.28% | 299 | |
| Total Votes | 1,636 | |||
Incumbent Roger Hunt and Tom Pischke defeated Courtney Ecklund in the South Dakota House of Representatives District 25 Republican primary.[5][6]
| South Dakota House of Representatives, District 25 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Roger Hunt Incumbent |
38.06% | 765 | |
| Republican | Tom Pischke |
31.99% | 643 | |
| Republican | Courtney Ecklund | 29.95% | 602 | |
| Total Votes | 2,010 | |||
2012
Ahlers ran in the 2012 election for South Dakota State Senate District 25. Ahlers ran unopposed in the Democratic primary on June 5 and was defeated by Timothy Rave (R) in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[7]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Tim Rave |
51.2% | 5,629 | |
| Democratic | Dan Ahlers | 48.8% | 5,359 | |
| Total Votes | 10,988 | |||
2010
Ahlers ran for re-election to the 25th District seat in 2010. He was defeated by Tim Rave in the general election on November 2, 2010.
2008
On Nov. 4, 2008, Ahlers won election to the 25th District Seat in the South Dakota State Senate, defeating opponent Paul Jensen (R).[8]
Ahlers raised $5,569 for his campaign while Jensen raised $19,949.[9]
| South Dakota State Senate, District 25 (2008) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Dan Ahlers (D)
|
6,502 | 58.50% | ||
| L. Paul Jensen (R) | 4,613 | 41.50% | ||
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Dan Ahlers did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Dan Ahlers completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Ahlers' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
Thank you for taking the opportunity to know me, my family and our values. My wife, Amy, and I are high school sweethearts and have been married for 21 years. We have two boys, Jackson and Aaron. I believe that the success of our great state begins with a strong family unit.
I am a long-time member of the Dell Rapids community where I have been a small business owner for the past 20 years. One of my core values is giving back to the community. It has been an honor to serve as the President of the Haven Before and After School Program, the Dell Rapids Chamber of Commerce and the Dell Rapids Community Fund.
Additionally, it has been an honor to serve District 25 as a SD State Legislator for six years. During my time in the state legislature, I worked with the departments and my legislative colleagues to ensure state government worked efficiently and provided services that met your needs. Together, we have worked to improve funding to education, improve delivery of government services, support veterans and protect our most vulnerable citizens. All of this was done without raising your taxes.
Communication is the best way to create good government. You deserve representation that listens to your concerns and works with others (regardless of party) to find commonsense solutions.
- Americans deserve access to quality affordable health care.
- We need fair trade and strong economic policies that support American businesses and provide opportunity to new entrepreneurs.
- Our children deserve a quality education that prepares them for a 21st century workforce. A good education creates opportunity no matter a child's socio-economic status.
I believe we need to do more to ensure food security for every American. We are a wealthy nation that produces more food than we can consume, yet tens of millions of Americans go hungry or don't have access to healthy foods. During this pandemic, farmers and ranchers had food rotting, milk spoiling and animals euthanized, while food banks struggled to meet demand . The USDA and Congress should have acted quicker. I would work to develop a policy and food strategy to ensure people are fed and farmers are paid a fair price for their product.
I am passionate about special education funding and providing more opportunities for children with disabilities. Since IDEA was passed nearly 40 years ago, the federal government has not lived up to its financial obligation to our schools. For the past 3 years, I have worked in our public schools and understand the struggles to provide services and education to this great group of students. As a state legislator, I passed legislation to improve access to services and helped improve the special education funding formula in South Dakota. I will work in Washington to improve special education funding, so schools can provide more staff and educational opportunities for these students.
Social Security needs to be made whole and improved to ensure benefits are not cut. This fund has been used to pay down the national debt. As a result, the solvency of this fund is in jeopardy. We need to act now to ensure it for the next generation.
George Washington. He established a great outline for leadership. He surrounded himself with capable people and listened to their advise. He worked with others to build consensus and achieve compromise. The best example of this was his leadership as President of the Constitutional Convention. Most importantly, Washington understood the need for a transition of leadership. After two terms as President, he left and went home. It is the standard we used in the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution.
The Essential America by George McGovern
Honesty, integrity and authenticity
People around me say my grit and determination define who I am as a person. If you tell me it's not possible or can be done, it drives me to succeed. I don't accept failure. I learn from it.
Listen to your constituents and work on policy that improves our quality of life.
I want to be an example of good leadership and restore faith in our political system.
Ronald Reagan winning the 1980 Presidential election. I was 6 years old.
A paperboy for the Casper Star Tribune.
Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy and Ted Sorensen. It tells the story of eight senators that defied their political parties and public opinion to do what they thought was right and in the best interest of the country.
Eye of the Tiger by Survivor
As a youth to overcome poverty, pay for college and start my own business.
1) Ensuring affordable health care
2) Solvency for Social Security
3) Paying down the national debt
4) Immigration reform
5) Replacing aging infrastructure
The six year terms lend it to being a more deliberative legislative body. The Senate approves presidential appointments like Supreme Court nominees. These decisions have an impact that lasts decades.
Experience can be very beneficial. An understanding the relationships between federal, state and local policy and how one decision impacts another can lead to better policy.
The filibuster has a storied history in the U.S. Senate, but I don't view it as a constructive way to influence policy.
1) Qualifications
2) Experience
3) Examples of leadership
If we want to have effective government, we must find ways to work together. I spent a lot of time getting to know my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. When we understand one another, we learn how much we have in common. This understanding gives us a place for a conversation to start.
The Committee on Agriculture because farming and ranching is important to South Dakota's economy. I have state legislative experience on Appropriations, Retirement Laws, Tribal Relations, Commerce and Transportation and feel I could contribute in any of these areas.
I admire George McGovern. He was a true statesman. McGovern was respectful of others and worked across party lines to get work done on behalf of the people of South Dakota. He had a passion for addressing the needs of our country's most vulnerable citizens. McGovern and Dole are responsible for the Food for Education Program.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
- See also: Ballotpedia's candidate surveys
Dan Ahlers participated in Ballotpedia's candidate survey on September 4, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and Dan Ahlers's responses follow below.[10]
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
| " | 1. Constituent issues
2. Education funding |
” |
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?
| " | I am really passionate about education. Education is the key to personal success and economic development.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many[12]
|
” |
Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Dan Ahlers answered the following:
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow and why?
| " | Ben Franklin and his pursuit for knowledge and perfection. Franklin was never satisfied with the status quo and was constantly searching for ways to improve the human condition.[12] | ” |
| " | Aristotle’s “Politics and Ethics.”[12] | ” |
| " | Honesty and integrity.[12] | ” |
| " | I listen to my constituents and work to solve the problems they encounter with state government and policy. I work with my colleagues to find common goals instead of focusing on our differences.[12] | ” |
| " | 1. Represent the people of my district.
2. Address the needs of my district. 3. Address the needs of my state.[12] |
” |
| " | I hope my legacy demonstrates the importance of public service and an example of statesmanship.[12] | ” |
| " | I remember President Reagan being shot. I was 7 years old.[12] | ” |
| " | My first job was a paper route for the Casper Star Tribune. I delivered papers for approximately 18 months.[12] | ” |
| " | The girl didn’t show up.[12] | ” |
| " | Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, because of its focus on family and friends.[12] | ” |
| " | Autobiography of Ben Franklin because I find his intellect intriguing.[12] | ” |
| " | Superman, because of his integrity and ability to help others.[12] | ” |
| " | My photo albums because it holds so many memories.[12] | ” |
| " | December, 1963 by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.[12] | ” |
| " | The people around me that constantly were telling me that I wasn’t good enough to achieve my goals and dreams.[12] | ” |
| " | The state senate approves gubernatorial appointments.[12] | ” |
| " | I think experience can be beneficial. My political science degree and internship in the state legislature gave me an advantage in understanding the process as a freshman legislator.[12] | ” |
| " | Our greatest challenge is revenues keeping up with our education, healthcare and infrastructure needs.[12] | ” |
| " | The process is designed to be adversarial, but I think it is important to always communicate with each other. It is also important to not make politics personal.[12] | ” |
| " | It is essential to build good relationships with colleagues. We learn that we have many things in common. Often, we have similar goals but different ways to achieve these goals. When we have these good relationships, it allows us to come together with solutions to the challenges we face in state government.[12] | ” |
| " | Non-partisan and independent from the legislature.[12] | ” |
| " | I enjoy Appropriations because it impacts all facets of state government.[12] | ” |
| " | I would like to be minority/majority leader.[12] | ” |
| " | Former U.S. Senator George McGovern[12] | ” |
| " | I would be interested in higher office, if it is the right opportunity and didn’t have a negative impact on my family.[12] | ” |
| " | During my first term as a legislator, a young girl, who is deaf, testified for a bill I sponsored to improve education for students with disabilities. She shared her struggles in school and the her parents their frustration with getting good services. After her testimony the bill passed out of committee. I can remember the tears in her and her parents eyes. She came up to me and gave me a hug and told me thank you. I will never forget that day or how good it felt to have that kind of positive impact on another person.[12] | ” |
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of South Dakota scorecards, email suggestions to [email protected].
2018
In 2018, the South Dakota State Legislature was in session from January 9 through March 26.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the organization.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- Legislators are scored on bills related to reproductive health issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2017, the South Dakota State Legislature was in session from January 10 through March 27. The legislature held a special session on June 12.
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See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 23, 2020
- ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "2016 General Election Candidate List," accessed August 21, 2016
- ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "2016 General Election Official Results State Canvas," accessed May 2, 2017
- ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State, "2016 General Election Official State Canvass Recount," accessed May 2, 2017
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 South Dakota Secretary of State, "2016 Primary Election Candidate List," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 South Dakota Secretary of State, "State primary results," accessed June 7, 2016
- ↑ Office of the South Dakota Secretary of State, "2012 Primary Election Candidate List," accessed April 9, 2012
- ↑ 2008 Election Results, South Dakota Senate, District 25
- ↑ District 25 South Dakota Senate Spending, 2008
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia's candidate survey, "Dan Ahlers's responses," September 4, 2018
- ↑ 12.00 12.01 12.02 12.03 12.04 12.05 12.06 12.07 12.08 12.09 12.10 12.11 12.12 12.13 12.14 12.15 12.16 12.17 12.18 12.19 12.20 12.21 12.22 12.23 12.24 12.25 12.26 12.27 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Kris Langer (R) |
South Dakota House of Representatives District 25 2017 - 2019 |
Succeeded by Jon Hansen (R) |
| Preceded by - |
South Dakota State Senate District 25 2009–2011 |
Succeeded by Tim Rave (R) |
