Senator Theresa Two Bulls
Candidate for South Dakota State Senate
District 27 / Pine Ridge
legis.state.sd.us/sessions/2005/mbrdt556.htm

TWO BULLS WINS WITH 54% OF THE VOTE.

Oglala Sioux tribal prosecutor and representative for the Pine Ridge Reservation, Theresa Two Bulls is the first Indian woman to serve as a state lawmaker in South Dakota history.  Unfazed by obstacles and precedents, she has been a strong voice for Indian rights throughout her career as a prosecutor and Senator.

A Voice in the Legislature
Theresa Two Bulls’ record says it all.  She worked with State Representative and INDN’s List candidate Jim Bradford last year in proposing two critical pieces of legislation for South Dakota’s Indians.  The first would reauthorize the construction of nursing facilities on American Indian reservations so that Indians living on reservations would no longer have to choose between staying close to their family or receiving needed healthcare.  The other bill would expand funding for tribal colleges to widen access to education for South Dakota’s Indian youth.

An Advocate in the Court
Two Bulls has put her legal training to use protecting the voting rights of American Indians. When the legislature passed a redistricting plan that would have silenced many American Indians in local government, Two Bulls fought back. She teamed up with the ACLU and filed a lawsuit on the grounds that the plan violated the Voting Rights Act. As a result, the Federal Court sided with Two Bulls and the ACLU and granted an injunction last year.

Support for All
Theresa uses the skills she learned in the courtroom to advocate in the legislature for the disadvantaged and for working families, despite the obstacles presented by the Republican-led legislature. She called on Congress to restore funding for the Urban Indian Health Program and proposed expanding health insurance coverage for contraceptive drugs and devices.  She has consistently proposed legislation and advocated for health care for victims of rape and for minimum wage increases.

The Situation
Theresa Two Bulls' proven leadership in the State Senate and her advocacy for South Dakotans will only get stronger as she continues to serve in the legislature. She is meeting voters every day and walking neighborhoods tirelessly in order to defeat Craig Hanrahan, her Republican opponent.