District 17 Legislative Candidate Forum - October 14, 2026

This candidate forum for South Dakota District 17 legislative seats took place in Vermillion on October 14, 2026. It was organized by the Vermillion Chamber and Development Companies Governmental Affairs Committee, facilitated with University of South Dakota political science students, and hosted by the City of Vermillion. The event aired on MidCode Channel 3 and the City of Vermillion YouTube channel. No agenda or minutes were provided; the following summary is based on the raw transcript, which does not record exact start and end times. Four candidates participated: Leslie Garish, Austin Bernick, incumbent Representative Chris Cassen, and Troy Rudler. Unopposed candidates recognized included Senator Sidney Davis, county commissioners Jeffrey Greyloebe and David Teasey, County Auditor Carrie Crumb, Register of Deeds Lisa Trewilliger, and Sheriff Andy Howe.

Opening Statements

• Leslie Garish: owns two Main Street businesses and works as a nonprofit event planner; running because she cares about vulnerable people and wants to use her efficiency, integrity, and cross-partisan skills in Pierre.
• Austin Bernick: from Sioux Falls, later moving to North Sioux and then Oak Point; running to protect future generations and to stop corporate and special interest money from making South Dakota a tax haven for the ultra-wealthy.
• Chris Cassen: incumbent for four years and a member of the Joint Committee on Appropriations; emphasized limited government, responsible spending, low taxes, strong schools, public safety, and accessibility to constituents.
• Troy Rudler: pharmacist and second-generation small business owner in Dakota Dunes; his company serves 60 facilities in three states with 2,000 vulnerable people; running to make South Dakota more affordable, protect rural health care, support USD, and create opportunities for young families.

Budget & Taxes

• Property tax relief (SB 245): Garish called the bill a bad bill, noted all three current District 17 legislators voted against it, and said relief should be targeted using income and property value. Bernick said the fund will not be measurable until 2027 and that the accompanying sales and use tax increase from 4.2 to 4.5 percent will hurt vulnerable residents; he cited that South Dakota's bottom 20 percent pay 11.4 percent of annual income in sales and use taxes. Cassen said property taxes are the top issue he hears and that it will take time to evaluate SB 245 and SB 96. Rudler said he supports the approach but would measure actual homeowner savings and investigate assessments, local levies, and offsets.
• Reserve fund: Bernick called the reserve a rainy day fund and said it is pouring, urging immediate relief. Cassen said a special session would be needed to appropriate reserves and that the state traditionally spends down to 10 percent; he identified McCook Lake flood mitigation, an eastside veterans home, USD, and child advocacy as one-time priorities. Rudler defended the reserve as a strength and supported one-time investments such as McCook Lake. Garish noted the surplus was tied to unspent Department of Social Services funds, supported a 10 percent reserve, and mentioned mental health infrastructure such as Yankton's overnight mental health facility.
• Income and corporate tax: Cassen and Rudler opposed both income and corporate income taxes, citing South Dakota's business climate. Garish said she would not bring an income tax bill but expressed support for some form of wealth tax and noted the sales tax is regressive. Bernick supported a targeted income tax on household income over $300,000, citing a plan estimated to generate about $400 million and provide up to 30 percent property tax relief.

Health & Social Services

• Rural health transformation: Rudler referenced about $189.4 million in federal funding and said he would measure outcomes, workforce placement, patient travel, and sustainability. Garish said the project is technology-focused and does not address direct patient care or rural provider shortages. Bernick said it will not keep rural facilities open and warned of federal cuts. Cassen said about $500 million is coming to the state through a grant program, noted grants already received by EMS, Lewis and Clark Behavioral Health, and Siouxland Urology, and called for continued emphasis on EMS, maternity care, and medical education.
• Medicaid: Bernick said health care is a human right, supports Medicare for All, and favors Medicaid expansion. Cassen distinguished traditional Medicaid from expansion, citing a 90/10 federal match for expansion, a current state cost of about $35 million, and a projected $150 million state cost if the match became 50/50. He also noted every 1 percent for the big three areas of education, state employees, and Medicaid providers equals $25 million, so a 50/50 match would be similar to giving up a 6 percent increase. Rudler said he would assess access, emergency room utilization, and long-term financial exposure. Garish stated one in four babies in South Dakota is born on Medicaid, that Medicaid expansion is only 8 percent of the Medicaid budget, and that the state should stop attacking Medicaid.

Education

• Workforce training: Rudler highlighted CNA programs in his family, and called for internships, apprenticeships, and closer employer-university connections. Garish said young people tell her they do not feel valued and that workforce programs cannot replace a sense of being valued. Bernick cited South Dakota's 46th-place teacher pay ranking and teacher pay being $10,000 to $15,000 lower than in neighboring states. Cassen highlighted maintenance and replacement funding near 2 percent and investments in university facilities.
• Charter schools (SB 218): Garish said public dollars should stay with public schools and noted South Dakota already has flexible open enrollment. Bernick opposed using tax dollars for private or charter schools, citing Iowa voucher tuition increases. Cassen said he supports school choice options, including the Partners in Education Scholarship Fund and a coming federal education freedom tax credit, but has questions about charter schools and local control. Rudler said he is not fundamentally opposed to charter schools but requires academic accountability, financial transparency, and local control; he specifically opposed the provision allowing an unelected Department of Education secretary to override local school boards.

Economic Development & Housing

• Economic policy priority: Bernick repeated his support for a progressive income tax over $300,000 and said it could create a virtuous circle. Cassen said he would protect South Dakota's no-income-tax climate, which the Tax Foundation ranks second in the nation, and reduce red tape. Rudler said he would prioritize workforce housing by removing infrastructure and regulatory barriers while respecting local zoning. Garish said she would pursue targeted relief such as coverage for diagnostic mammograms and better state investment in local businesses.
• Housing infrastructure (SB 41): The question noted the program helped finance infrastructure for 236 planned multifamily units in Vermillion. Cassen said the $200 million grant and loan infrastructure program was a big idea, but grants went quickly while loans were slower; he supports state help without ongoing costs. Rudler said he would evaluate how many homes were built and at what price points before adding more money. Garish said the bill helps but that tariffs are making construction more expensive and South Dakota should reduce construction costs and invest in itself. Bernick said Vermillion received roughly $2.4 million for about 236 units and argued that housing is expensive by design, called for regulation of private equity, and supported a state affordable housing program.
• Data centers (SB 135): Rudler said the law strikes the right principles and opposed subsidies for large data centers. Garish said it falls short and supports a moratorium on hyperscale data centers to protect water and accountability. Bernick also supported a year-long moratorium, describing AI and crypto data centers as far more power- and water-intensive and harmful in some communities. Cassen said the law started a needed process and preserves local control; he noted the option for local moratoriums such as Yankton's. He referred to the law as SB 145 during the forum, while the question cited SB 135.

Public Comments & Audience Questions

• Amendment L: Garish opposed it, saying a 60 percent requirement would make it harder for ordinary citizens and easier for billionaires. Bernick opposed it, arguing the will of the people should be 50 percent plus one. Cassen supported it, saying constitutional amendments should require a higher bar than initiated measures. Rudler supported it, comparing it to the supermajority needed to change the U.S. Constitution.
• State vs. local control: Bernick said state government should step in when local governments ignore their citizens, citing data centers, flock cameras, and the Clay County budget decision involving Vermillion Feeding Vermillion. Cassen said decisions should begin with individuals and families and that government closest to the people is best. Rudler said local control should be the default unless there is a compelling statewide interest or cross-boundary impact. Garish said the state should act as a resource for local governments but not override local control merely because it disagrees, citing the Vermillion school board bathroom decision as an example.
• Party alignment: Cassen said he agrees with his party on local control, low taxes, and business climate, and disagreed with beef import policy. Rudler agreed on low taxes and less regulation, said he is fiscally conservative but disappointed in federal fiscal discipline, and also disagreed with beef imports. Garish said she has been a Democrat since 1998 and believes in helping those who need the most help, while also describing herself as a capitalist. Bernick said he agrees with the Democratic Party on giving voice to the voiceless and progressive taxation, but disagrees with the national party's rural strategy, noting South Dakota went from three Democratic federal representatives to three Republicans.

Closing Statements

• Rudler asked voters to send him to Pierre, promising to remember who he works for and to focus on affordability, rural health care, education, and opportunity.
• Garish told a personal story about bravery and asked voters to hire her because she would work hard in Pierre; she reminded attendees to register to vote by October 19.
• Bernick cited South Dakota's rankings under decades of one-party control, including 50th in equality and 46th in teacher pay, and urged voters to think critically about whether candidates offered real solutions.
• Cassen highlighted his accomplishments, including the unclaimed property trust fund and student teacher stipend program, and compared governing to coaching, noting the need to adapt and compromise.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes or binding decisions occurred at the forum.
• Candidates shared positions on taxes, health care, education, housing, data centers, and local control.
• The forum moderator noted that several written audience questions could not be asked, including questions on competency, integrity, transparency, data centers, PAC money, party dynamics, Medicaid support, and role models.
• The forum was recorded and made available on the City of Vermillion YouTube channel.