Issues

Your right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. John Harter is a gun owner, as well as a certified NRA Handgun Instructor, and an Enhanced Concealed Carry Instructor who will defend your constitutional rights without compromise. He will:

• Block any attempt to restrict or weaken law-abiding citizens’ right to keep and bear arms.
• Support legislation that strengthens Second Amendment protections and removes unnecessary barriers for responsible gun owners.
• Defend First Amendment rights and individual liberties against government overreach at every turn.

Strong families build strong societies. John Harter is a proud Christian, devoted husband, and proud father. In Pierre, he will always fight for the rights of parents and a better quality of life for our kids. He will:

• Continue the fight for pro-life legislation that protects the unborn and reflects the biological reality that life begins at conception.
• Fight woke indoctrination in our schools.
• Support parental rights and defend moms and dads against government interference.
• Champion school choice so parents—not bureaucrats—determine where their kids go to school.

John Harter will ensure South Dakota remains a state where faith, family, and life are celebrated and defended.

Agriculture is the lifeblood of rural South Dakota. It keeps businesses running, schools funded, and communities thriving. Drawing on forty years of hands-on ranching and farming experience, John Harter will be a voice for agriculture producers in Pierre—and never back down in defense of your God-given right to own your own home and property. He will:

• Stand up for small family farmers and push back against Big Ag’s consolidation of rural America.
• Pursue policies that put South Dakota farmers first and keep family farms and ranches profitable and viable for future generations.
• Create economic opportunities for our rural communities.
• Aggressively oppose all forms of eminent domain abuse and corporate overreach that threaten family farms and ranches.
• Champion local control so power stays with local governments and isn’t concentrated in the hands of a few in Pierre or Washington.

Our law enforcement officers and first responders put their lives on the line for us. John Harter will always back the blue and stand with the heroes who keep South Dakotans safe and healthy. He will:

• Provide unwavering support for police, sheriffs, and first responders with the funding, legal protections, and respect they deserve.
• Fight to eliminate bureaucratic red tape that ties the hands of those who protect our rural communities.
• Advocate for rural EMS and hospitals to receive the resources they need—so District 21 families never lose access to critical care.

We have seen an epidemic of runaway spending, as well as fraud and embezzlement in our state government in recent years, and when elected—John Harter will work with our next Governor to clean house. He will:

• End the practice of using your tax dollars to pay multi-billion dollar corporations to relocate here—businesses that can pay their own way should do so.
• Oppose all corporate welfare, special tax exemptions, and refunds that come at the expense of South Dakota taxpayers and small businesses.
• Demand true fiscal responsibility and constitutional governance that puts the interests of District 21 families ahead of political insiders.
• Ensure every tax dollar serves the people, not special interests.