Billie Sutton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Billie Sutton
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| Minority Leader of the South Dakota Senate | |
| In office January 5, 2015 – January 8, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Jason Frerichs |
| Succeeded by | Troy Heinert |
| Member of the South Dakota Senate from the 21st district |
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| In office January 3, 2011 – January 8, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Julie Bartling |
| Succeeded by | Rocky Blare |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Billie Harmon Sutton
March 16, 1984 Burke, South Dakota, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Kelsea |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Wyoming (BA) |
Billie Harmon Sutton (born March 16, 1984) is an American politician and former professional bronc rider. He was a member of the South Dakota Senate from 2011 to 2019. He also served as the leader for his political party in the Senate. In 2018, he ran for Governor of South Dakota but lost the election.
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Billie Sutton's Early Life and Rodeo Career
Billie Sutton grew up in Burke, South Dakota. His family had lived in South Dakota for five generations. He lived on a ranch, which is where he first became interested in rodeo.
Sutton went to college at the University of Wyoming. He became a very successful rodeo rider there. He even set a record for the most rodeo points at his university. In May 2008, he earned a degree in finance.
A Rodeo Accident and New Path
After college, Sutton became a professional bronc rider. He competed on the PRCA circuit. He was ranked among the top 30 riders in the world.
In 2007, when he was 23 years old, Billie had a serious accident. His horse fell over in the chute before a ride at a rodeo. This accident left him unable to move his legs. After his accident and finishing college, Sutton went back to Burke. He started working as an investment consultant at a bank.
Billie Sutton's Political Journey
In 2010, Billie Sutton was elected to the South Dakota Senate. He represented District 21. The Senate is a part of the state government that makes laws.
From 2013 to 2015, he was the Assistant Minority Leader in the Senate. This means he helped lead his political party in the Senate. In 2015, he became the main Minority Leader.
Running for Governor
In May 2017, Sutton announced he would run for Governor of South Dakota. He made this announcement at his family ranch. A governor is the leader of a state.
He chose Michelle Lavallee to be his running mate. She would have been the lieutenant governor if they had won. In the 2018 South Dakota gubernatorial election, Sutton lost the election. It was a very close race, one of the closest in South Dakota in many years.
Who Supported Billie Sutton?
Many people and groups supported Billie Sutton in his run for governor. Two big newspapers, the Sioux Falls Argus Leader and the Rapid City Journal, said they thought he should be governor.
He also received support from some well-known Republicans. This included a former U.S. Senator and a former State Senate Majority Leader. An endorsement means that someone publicly says they support a candidate.
What Are Billie Sutton's Political Beliefs?
Billie Sutton is a "moderate Democrat." This means he belongs to the Democratic Party, but his views are often in the middle. He supports the "Second Amendment," which is about the right to own guns. He also focused on fighting corruption, which means making sure government is honest.
Billie Sutton's Family Life
Even though his accident ended his professional rodeo career, Billie still loves horses. He enjoys riding horses with his wife, Kelsea.
Billie and Kelsea have three sons. They also had a daughter named Lenore, who was born in 2020 but sadly passed away a week later. In August 2022, a special place was opened in Burke to honor their daughter. It's a community splash pad called Lenny's Lily Pad.
Images for kids
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Billie Sutton
