Legality of Cannabis by U.S. Jurisdiction

Kris Langer
Majority Leader of the South Dakota Senate
In office
January 8, 2019 – January 12, 2021
Preceded byBlake Curd
Succeeded byGary Cammack
Member of the South Dakota Senate
from the 25th district
In office
January 10, 2017 – January 12, 2021
Preceded byTim Rave
Succeeded byMarsha Symens
Member of the South Dakota House of Representatives
from the 25th district
In office
August 15, 2013 – January 10, 2017
Serving with Scott Ecklund
Preceded byJon Hansen
Succeeded byTom Pischke
Daniel Ahlers
Personal details
Born (1969-08-17) August 17, 1969 (age 54)
Brookings, South Dakota, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseTracy[citation needed]
Children2
EducationSouth Dakota State University (BS)

Kristen K. Langer[1] (born August 17, 1969) is an American politician who served as a member of the South Dakota Senate for the 25th district from 2017 to 2021.[2] She was appointed by Governor Dennis Daugaard to the South Dakota House of Representatives after Jon Hansen resigned. In 2019, she became the South Dakota State Senate Majority Leader.[citation needed]

Elections[edit]

South Dakota House of Representatives[edit]

  • 2014 Langer ran for the South Dakota House of Representatives where she and Republican Roger Hunt ran unopposed in the November 4, 2014, general election; Hunt received 4,601 votes and Langer received 4,367 votes.

South Dakota State Senate[edit]

  • 2016 Langer ran for election to the South Dakota State Senate against Democrat Jeff Barth, whom she defeated in the November 8, 2016, general election by a margin of 7,254 to 4,301.[3]
  • 2018 Langer ran for reelection against Independent Brian Wirth and Independent Peter Kiebanoff in the November 6, 2018 general election and won receiving 6,583 votes; Wirth received 1,931 votes and Kiebanoff received 1,15 votes.[4]
  • 2020 Langer was uncontested for the Republican nomination but drew two Independent challengers for the general election. On August 4, 2020, Langer announced she would not seek re-election to the state senate, but would complete her term.[5]

Controversy[edit]

Admonishment by State Senate[edit]

On March 30, 2020, during a late-night session of the legislature Langer was accused by fellow State Senator Phil Jensen of being intoxicated at the Capitol.[6] In April 2020, a bipartisan committee established to look into the allegations against Langer and President Pro Tempe Brock Greenfield, voted 9-0 to admonish both of Langer and Greenfield for their conduct.[7] During the hearing, Langer and Greenfield acknowledged drinking alcohol during a break in Senate proceedings and apologized "for this bad judgment on our part and for any delay this may have brought about for other members."[8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Kris Langer's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  2. ^ "South Dakota Legislature".
  3. ^ "Official Results General Election November 8, 2016" (PDF). Pierre, South Dakota: Secretary of State of South Dakota. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  4. ^ "Official Results General Election November 6, 2018" (PDF). Pierre, South Dakota: Secretary of State of South Dakota. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  5. ^ "Senate Majority Leader Kris Langer drops reelection bid". Dakota News Now. August 4, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  6. ^ "Senate Committee begins investigation of two state senators". keloland.com. April 21, 2020. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  7. ^ Kaczke, Lisa (24 April 2020). "Legislators rebuke South Dakota Senate leaders for being drunk at the Capitol". Argus Leader. USA Today. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  8. ^ "Senate Interim Investigation Committee". sdpb.com. April 23, 2020. Retrieved April 26, 2020.

External links[edit]

South Dakota Senate
Preceded by Majority Leader of the South Dakota Senate
2019–2021
Succeeded by