Paula Hawks

Paula Hawks[1] (born September 11, 1975) is an American politician and a former Democratic member of the South Dakota House of Representatives representing District 9 from January 11, 2013 to January 10, 2017.[2][3] Hawks grew up on a farm near Flandreau, South Dakota.[4] Hawks is a bank training specialist and a former high school science teacher.[4] She has three children with her husband, Steve.[4]

Paula Hawks
Chair of the South Dakota Democratic Party
In office
March 23, 2019 – October 23, 2019
Preceded byAnn Tornberg
Succeeded byRandy Seiler
Member of the South Dakota House of Representatives
from the 9th district
In office
January 11, 2013 – January 10, 2017
Preceded byBob Deelstra
Succeeded byMichael Clark
Personal details
Born (1975-09-11) September 11, 1975
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationSouth Dakota State University (BS)

Elections
  • 2012 To challenge District 9 incumbent Republican Representatives Bob Deelstra and Steve Hickey, Holly Boltjes-Johnson ran in the June 5, 2012 Democratic primary but withdrew prior to the November 6, 2012 general election; Hawks replaced Boltjes-Johnson for the four-way general election, where incumbent Republican Representative Hickey took the first seat and Hawks took the second seat with 3,965 votes (26.04%) ahead of incumbent Republican Representative Deelstra and fellow Democratic nominee Mark Anderson,[5] who had run for the seat in 2010.
  • 2016 To challenge incumbent U.S. Congresswoman Kristi Noem. In the 2016 election cycle, Hawks challenged sitting Republican Congresswoman Kristi Noem for South Dakota's lone seat in the United States House of Representatives. Noem criticized Hawks for her support of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, while Hawks criticized Noem for supporting Donald J. Trump. In a live televised debate, Hawks shared her experience of being a survivor of sexual assault and how she could not understand supporting Trump after all of his comments about women and allegations of assaulting women. Hawks also criticized Noem's decision to give up South Dakota's longtime seat on the House Agriculture Committee and instead to take a seat on the House Ways and Means Committee. In the November election Congresswoman Noem defeated Hawks.

Chair of the South Dakota Democratic Party

On March 23, 2019, Hawks was elected party chair.[6]

On October 23, 2019, Hawks (and Executive Director Stacey Burnette) resigned amid party financial struggles that showed approximately $47,000.00 in debt.[7]

References
  1. "Paula Hawks' Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
  2. "Legislator profile". South Dakota Legislature. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  3. "Representative Paula Hawks". Pierre, South Dakota: South Dakota Legislature. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
  4. Tupper, Seth (August 17, 2015). "Five questions with Democratic U.S. House candidate Paula Hawks". Rapid City Journal. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
  5. "Official Results General Election November 6, 2012". Pierre, South Dakota: Secretary of State of South Dakota. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
  6. "Paula Hawks elected Chair of S.D. Democratic party". prairiebusinessmagazine.com. March 26, 2019. Retrieved October 23, 2019.</
  7. "South Dakota Democratic Party Leadership resigns amid financial struggles". keloland.com. October 23, 2019. Retrieved October 23, 2019.


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