Paula Hawks Explained

Paula Hawks
Office:	Chair of the South Dakota Democratic Party
Term Start:	March 23, 2019
Term End:	October 23, 2019
Predecessor:	Ann Tornberg
Successor:	Randy Seiler
State House1:	South Dakota
District1:	9th
Term Start1:	January 11, 2013
Term End1:	January 10, 2017
Predecessor1:	Bob Deelstra
Successor1:	Michael Clark
Birth Date:	11 September 1975
Birth Place:	Sioux Falls, South Dakota, U.S.
Party:	Democratic
Education:	South Dakota State University (BS)

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. Hawks is a bank training specialist and a former high school science teacher.^[4] She has three children with her husband, Steve.^[4]

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]

External links

• Official page at the South Dakota Legislature

Notes and References

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