Meet the Candidate: Marty Overweg

Incumbent lawmaker seeking re-election to the House

Rep. Marty Overweg is seeking re-election to the South Dakota House in District 21. He is running in a three-way primary against Lee Qualm and Jim Halverson.

Overweg’s district in the southern part of the state includes the communities of Winner, Gregory, and Platte in it.

The Dakota Scout sent a series of questions to all legislative candidates running in contested races for the state House and Senate in the June 4 primary election. Candidates were asked to limit their responses to each question to 150 words or less.

Age: 60
City of residence: New Holland
Profession: Small ag business owner
Public service/community service experience: Five years in the House along with church and school boards
Family information: Wife Carol of 40 years with five kids and 16 grandchildren.

1) What's the government's role in facilitating economic development in South Dakota?

Government has no role; we are a Free-Market society, and the market should decide. Trouble starts when government uses taxpayer money to choose winners and losers.        

2) If you could have dinner with any person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

My Grandfather on my father’s side. He died when I was five and I missed all the wisdom he could‘ve shared with me. 

3) Does the "Landowner Bill of Rights" -- adopted by the Legislature amid opposition to carbon pipeline companies using eminent domain -- strike the right balance between the interests of property owners, counties and the ag industry - and should voters get a say when they head to the polls in November?

Absolutely not, the only things these bills do is promote corporate farming and destroy the family farm and ranch. They also promote privately held corporations to profit off the backs of South Dakota citizens by allowing them to take or use private property for their financial gain.