PRIMARY POLITICS: Remily seeks District 3 Democratic nomination

May 26--Angelia Schultz and Mark Remily, both of Aberdeen, are seeking the Democratic nomination for District 3 Senate. The candidate who receives the most votes faces Republican candidate David Novstrup. The candidates took time out to answer a few of reporter Elisa Sand's questions as part of the American News' series on primary politics.

Mark Remily

Age: 60

Education: Graduate of Northwestern High School in Mellette and Elkins Institute of Broadcasting in St. Louis, Mo.

Employment: Twenty years in radio broadcasting, owner of Rem Dog Song LLC since 1991. Writer and producer of numerous jingles as Remily-Parks Production. Currently provides DJ music and karaoke entertainment for private parties and clubs across South Dakota. Alderman for the Aberdeen City Council.

Community service: Singing at weddings, funerals and nursing homes.

Family: Married with four children and seven grandchildren.

Q: Why should primary voters cast their ballots for you?

A. The candidate who has the best chance to win in the general election should win in the primary. As a life-long South Dakotan, my very public background, hands-on experience during legislative sessions and my knowledge of the issues, I feel that I can best represent my constituents' interests.

Q: If you had to pick the single most important issue in the primary, what would it be and why?

A: There are too many issues that are important to Aberdeen and District 3 to single out one. These are the issues that are most important:

1. The need for accountability in state government.

2. Providing support for 48,000 South Dakotans who desperately need health care.

3. Taking responsibility to fund education at a respectable level.

4. Defending civil rights and prohibiting discrimination and abuse.

Q: What should the state's priority be concerning education?

A: Educators are leaving South Dakota upon graduation. It is embarrassing to me, as a proud South Dakotan, to have the stain of being No. 51 in the United States in teacher pay. There is a serious teacher shortage in the state for obvious reasons. The current legislature seems proud of underfunding education. The state has a surplus of over $1 billion in cash, yet the governor chooses to bonus teachers a mere $200 per year. That's a slap in the face. The state needs to raise teacher salaries by $15,000 per year, and that would get us past Arkansas, and put us at 50th.

Q: Has the state properly responded to concerns about use of the federal EB-5 program and the operation of the Governor's Office of Economic Development?

A: Life is good in Aberdeen, right? Not so for 200 and some who we invited and then sent away without final paychecks. I am very sad about that. The Governor's Office of Economic Development and the EB-5 program has damaged the reputation of our city. We need to figure out how to recover. The answer to the question is no. And, accountability in state government is essential.

Q: What experience or personal characteristics set you apart from your primary opponent?

A. My political resume includes running for House of Representatives in 2008. It gave me valuable experience in studying the issues important to District 3. Running for City Council in 2012 gave me experience and confidence in winning an election. While on the City Council, I have been a voice for concerned citizens with little regard for popularity. My ways have not always been orthodox. Nevertheless, passionate and effective.

Angelia Schultz

Age: 42

Education: Bachelor's degree in political science and sociology from Black Hills State University with minor in American Indian studies; completed coursework for master's degree in sociology from South Dakota State University in 2003-04; graduate certificate in South Asia Area Studies from Foreign Service Institute, U.S. Department of State in Alexandria, Va.; graduate certificates in human factors analysis methodology and intelligence from the U.S. Joint Military Intelligence Center, U.S. Department of Defense in Washington, D.C.; and graduate certificates in project management and leadership, virtual team management and advanced interpersonal communications and fundamentals of open source intelligence from the U.S. Department of Defense in McLean, Va.

Employment: Presentation College; Aberdeen American News; BAE-IT Global Analysis; U.S. Department of Defense Intelligence Agency.

Community Service: On the executive council for Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and involved in the children's ministry program; member of the Safe Harbor executive board.

Family: Three children.

Q: Why should primary voters cast their ballot for you?

A. I am a strong, moderate voice for the constituents of District 3. As an experienced professional who has respect on both sides of the political fence, I make value-based, logical decisions instead of relying on heavy-handed partisanship. I have worked in the military and as an intelligence ambassador to the U.S. Department of Defense, so I understand how to work with people who have competing agendas to find that middle-of-the-road solution. I bring to Pierre the perspectives of a woman, a mother, a teacher, a veteran and a moderate, all perspectives which are underrepresented in our state legislature. And above all else, I am a critical thinker and a listener, and because of this, I communicate well. We need more clear communication in Pierre and in reporting home to our constituents. I vow to do just that.

Q: If you had to pick the single most important issue in the primary, what would it be and why?

A: Medicaid expansion is the utmost important issue, because it affects our most at-risk families while they are in their most vulnerable state. We have a crisis of health care coverage, in which nearly 27,000 hardworking South Dakotans earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but they aren't paid enough to qualify for tax credits on health insurance exchange. This puts more than 49,000 South Dakotans at risk, the vast majority of them being children. They won't get access to any affordable health insurance at all, which means they risk not receiving preventative care and urgent care. It means their parents won't receive the proper care they need to stay healthy for their families. A gap in coverage leads to a health and an economic crisis. It doesn't have to be this way -- at least 63 percent of South Dakotans support the expansion, but the state legislature is standing in the way.

Q: What should the state's priority be concerning education?

A: Education is the soundest investment South Dakota can make. It must be a high priority of the state to fund education to ensure that our children are prepared to excel in a highly competitive environment upon graduation. Also, we need well-qualified teachers whom we retain in our schools because we offer a competitive wage. We lose our intellectual capital every time a teacher takes a position in a neighboring state. These are our teachers, graduating from our schools, and we need them teaching our children. Furthermore, we must take a serious, in-depth look at Common Core standards and whether or not they meet the needs of our school districts, from a curriculum standpoint all the way through to the efficacy of standardized testing and whether it measures what we think it does.

Q: Has the state properly responded to concerns about use of the federal EB-5 program and the operation of the Governor's Office of Economic Development? Why or why not?

A: No, I don't believe that it has. There must be accountability and transparency. There must be responsible supervision, so that we can prevent this scenario from ever happening again in our state. The taxpayers deserve it, at the very least.

Q: What experience or personal characteristics set you apart from your primary opponent?

A. I have unique experience that lends itself to working well in government. I am a veteran of the U.S. military and I have worked in the Department of Defense as a civilian officer in executive support. I am educated, detail-oriented and meticulous, and I've excelled in high-pressure, high-stakes environments, which have prepared me for work in the state Senate.

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Today through Sunday, the American News takes a look at what you need to know for June 3.

-- Tuesday: 5 Republicans for District 23 House.

-- Wednesday: U.S. Senate candidates aiming to run on the Republican ticket.

-- Thursday: 3 Democrats for District 1 House.

-- Friday: Candidates fill ballots for sheriff.

-- Saturday: School elections, polling stations, list of races.

-- Sunday: Few can topple an incumbent governor.

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