Dell Rapids financial crime specialist announces run for South Dakota's U.S. House seat
Lisa Kaczke
Brian Wirth, a financial crime specialist from Dell Rapids, announced that he's seeking election to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democratic candidate in 2020.
Wirth, 36, announced during a Minnehaha County Democratic Party event on Friday night that he'll challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson for South Dakota's sole seat in the U.S. House.
Johnson, who is in his first term in Congress, hasn't announced yet that's he seeking re-election next year.
More:Why U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson might see a primary challenger in 2020
Wirth said he decided to seek election to the U.S. House next year because there aren't a lot of Democrats in South Dakota available to run for office.
"We need to remind people that Democrats do exist in this state," he told the Argus Leader.
His son went missing last year and his community rallied around his family before his son was found several hours later.
“I want to fight for that South Dakota that helps people when they need help and try to convince everyone that we’re all in this together,” he said to applause on Friday night.
He lost to state Sen. Kris Langer in District 25 last year, and though the district has sent Democratic candidates to Pierre in the last decade, Wirth says is a “very heavily gerrymandered” district where candidates can only win if they’re Republican. He said he wants to bring attention to the problems of gerrymandering with his campaign.
He said he also wants to also bring attention to Republicans’ tax increases, and Democrats’ work to support health care and higher wages for residents.
”(Democrats are) the only party that stands for all human rights,” he said.
He currently serves as the treasurer of the Minnehaha County Democratic Party and vice chair of District 25. He ran
Wirth holds a bachelor's degree in political science and criminal justice from the University of South Dakota and has 14 years of experience working in fraud and financial crime detection and prevention at banking institutions.