John R. Marquardt
John R. Marquardt is the 11th of 12 children raised on a family farm in rural South Dakota, where he learned hard work through a country general store and a one-room schoolhouse. He served as General Manager at Upper Midwest Grain Elevators and has chaired the Yankton County Commission since 2022, championing law enforcement, fiscal transparency, and local economic opportunity. He is running for the District 18 State House seat in 2026 after narrowly missing the Republican primary in 2024.
Why they’re
Sensible
Marquardt's county commission experience gives him a direct window into how unfunded state mandates fall on local governments — he notes roughly 80% of county finances are consumed by them. His farm and small-business background grounds his positions on agriculture, public safety, and fiscal restraint in lived experience rather than theory. He is a challenger without a legislative voting record, but his county-level track record of budget discipline and transparency is a meaningful proxy. Sensible South Dakota finds his local-first perspective and emphasis on economic opportunity promising.
Key positions
“My call to public service is tied to keeping South Dakota a wonderful place for my family and my neighbors.”
Also running for
SD State House · District 18
Every other candidate filed for this seat, listed for transparency. Our Sensible slate reflects the full field — not just a single pick.