From the Mitchell Daily Republic, newly elected Republican legislator Josh Klumb is profiled as he prepares to go to Pierre:
Joshua Klumb, of Mount Vernon, will enter the Capitol as one of two House representatives for Davison, Aurora and Jerauld counties. He said agricultural issues will be his main concerns as he is a farmer and was named vice-chair of the House Ag and Natural Resources Committee.
He said water mitigation issues in the state will likely be points of discussion. He’ll also keep his eyes on pheasant habitat, and work between farmers and the state to keep the popular birds at healthy numbers.
“I haven’t heard a lot that’s coming down the pipeline,” Klumb said. “I’ll wait and see what people drop in the hopper when I get there. I know people have ideas, but I haven’t heard a whole lot yet.”
Klumb is the epitome of what a new legislator should be:
1) Informed on process. The Rules of the House are the ground rules. It’s like the rules of golf. Know the rules and you can succeed. Wish/Whine that hitting the ball out of bounds is a loss of distance and stroke penalty does you no good.
2) Informed on issues.
3) Informed and formed by his real world experience.
4) Confident in himself such that he is open to advice from the more experienced.
5) Humble with regard to knowing he is one of 105 and thus doesn’t make grandiose plans/promises to “change the world.” This trait will also make his colleagues most open to listen to him.
6) Thoughtful and reasoned.
This type of legislator is a day-to-day grinder who gets informed on the details and works hard to move the ball forward. Watch this guy because he will be a player during his tenure and you’ll see it out of the gate in committee.
Big Bonus with regard to those skills being used for what I believe in: He has a healthy blend of conservative and libertarian outlook. Even when/if we disagree on a particular issue, I’m going to feel good about his thought process.