Meet the Candidate: Aaron Aylward

Aylward running for third term in South Dakota House

Rep. Aaron Aylward is seeking re-election in South Dakota House District 6. He has served there since 2021. Also running is Sen. Herman Otten and Wendi Hogan.

District 6 is south of Sioux Falls and is entirely in Lincoln County. The community of Tea is located 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: 37
City of residence: Harrisburg
Profession: Recruiter/HR
Public service/community service experience: Two terms in the SD House of Representatives. Harrisburg Park Board.
Family information: Wife and two boys

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

Government’s role should be very limited in “economic development”. Governments do not develop economies, people and markets do. We should never raise taxes or spending on the back of taxpayers to have “economic development”. And you absolutely shouldn’t encroach on property rights. The default action should always be left to the market to create these business opportunities and the state should not be propping these things up through force. 

To put it another way, the government’s role should be to stay out of the way and simply focus on protecting rights. 

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

Jesus Christ. Because he is the King of kings and our savior. 

Pope Saint Peter - I’d like to ask him about what was going through his head when denying Christ before the crucifixion, and I’d like to question him on the early years of the Church. 

Patrick Henry - He’s one of my favorite founders of the United States and it’d be interesting to hear his stories about the colonies, the war for independence, and how life was before the ratification of the federal constitution. 

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?

No, we already have protected rights in our state constitution and our federal constitution. This legislation was not needed. 

The voters should absolutely get a say if enough people support the petition.