Gubernatorial Forum at BH Stock Show

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This year, residents in South Dakota will be electing a new governor to replace Mike Rounds.

Saturday, voters had a chance to meet the candidates during a gubernatorial forum in Rapid City.

The forum was held in the Sutton Rodeo Zone at the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo.

Republicans Dennis Daugaard, Ken Knuppe, Scott Munsterman, Dave Knudson, and Gordon Howie, along with Democrat Scott Heidepriem all participated in Saturday's event.

Each candidate discussed their ideas about how to use tourism as an economic development tool for the state of South Dakota.

“As governor, I would create a separate Department of Tourism to recognize its importance in our state.  It the number two economic driver for South Dakota and should be a cabinet level position to have a laser focus on tourism," says Republican candidate Lt. Governor Dennis Daugaard.   

"And so it's very important to bring new money into this state and then do the best we can to circulate it into this state as much as we can.  Because that's economic impact, and that's what tourism does is that it brings new money in.  So it's definitely a very significant part of an overall economic plan for the state.  And as your new governor, I would come along side communities to help them identify resources in their communities and the assets of their communities that can be promoted," says Republican candidate Scott Munsterman.

"We need a 66 county strategy.  We need to do things that are about the glacier lakes in the northeast, or what I call the dinosaur industry in the northwest.  Harding County is a rich, rich area for evidence for dinosaurs.  And people are very interested in that around the world.  We need to do a better job of promoting those things in South Dakota.  In addition to the typical, traditional tourist destinations," says Democratic candidate Sen. Scott Heidepriem.

Sunday night, two other candidates will speak about the USDA's decision to drop plans for a mandatory animal identification system.