PIERRE, S.D. (KELO.com) - The deadline to file election petitions in South Dakota is next Tuesday.
Current House Speaker Mark Mickelson of Sioux Falls says he has decided not to file for reelection. He’s says he wants to get out of politics and has other interests he wants to follow.
“I’ve got a wife and kids at home and some business interests,” he said. “I’ll be helping others and I’ll be trying to move this state forward, particularly in areas of economic development.
He says he’s got his frustrations in Pierre, which helped make his decision.
“The rate and pace of change, frustrates me in big organizations,” Mickelson said. “So we’ll try to move a little bit quicker on some of these things that interest me outside of government in the private sector.”
Mickelson says he doesn’t have any other political plans, at the moment.
“But my perspective might change,” he said about his political future. “It’s all a question of where you are in life, and how you’re looking at the world.”
Mickelson has served three terms in the House, and is the son of former Governor George S. Mickelson, and grandson of former Governor George T. Mickelson.
(Jerry Oster, WNAX, contributed to this report)
