latimes.com

Rachel Kippley of Aberdeen is seeking a spot on the Brown County Commission.

Kippley, 33, is a Hecla-area native and is running as a Republican.

She and her husband, Jeff, grow corn and soybeans and raise cattle on a farm north of Aberdeen. They have two children.

"I am very interested in getting involved in county government," Kippley said in a news release. "Having lived and worked both in Aberdeen and on our farm, I understand the needs of both the rural and more urban areas of Brown County. If given the opportunity to serve, I would be conscientious of both when making decisions that affect our citizens."

Before farming, Kippley worked on policy issues for Bill Janklow in Pierre, in 2001 and 2002 ,while he was governor and in Washington, D.C., in 2003, while he was a U.S. representative. She has also served as the state director of South Dakota Right to Life and alumni director at the Northern State University Foundation.

Kippley graduated from NSU in 2001. She is a member of the Wheat Growers, South Dakota Right to Life, the NSU Wolves Club and Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Hecla. She works as a substitute teacher in Aberdeen, teaches Sunday school and is president of the Prince of Peace Ladies Aid.

The terms of commissioners Duane Sutton, R-Aberdeen, and Burt Elliott, D-Aberdeen, expire this year. Sutton is seeking re-election; Elliott is not. Terms on the county commission are for four years.