{{short description|American politician}} {{Resume-like|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Billie Sutton |image = Billie Sutton Headshot (cropped).jpg |office = Minority Leader of the South Dakota Senate |term_start = January 5, 2015 |term_end = January 8, 2019 |predecessor = Jason Frerichs |successor = Troy Heinert |state_senate1 = South Dakota |district1 = 21st |term_start1 = January 3, 2011 |term_end1 = January 8, 2019 |predecessor1 = Julie Bartling |successor1 = Rocky Blare |birth_name = Billie Harmon Sutton |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|3|16}} |birth_place = Burke, South Dakota, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Democratic |spouse = Kelsea |children = 3 |education = University of Wyoming (BA) |website = {{url|suttonforsd.com|Campaign website}} }} '''Billie Harmon Sutton''' (born March 16, 1984) is an American former professional bronc rider and politician. He was a member of the South Dakota Senate from 2011 to 2019, served as Minority Leader,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sdlegislature.gov/legislators/historical_listing/LegislatorDetail.aspx?MemberID=3843|title = South Dakota Legislature}}</ref> and was the 2018 Democratic nominee for Governor of South Dakota, which he narrowly lost to Republican nominee Kristi Noem in the general election.
==Early life, education, and rodeo accident== A fifth-generation South Dakotan, Sutton grew up in Burke, South Dakota, on his family ranch, where his interest in rodeo began. Sutton went to college at the University of Wyoming and became a successful rider as the university's all-time leader in rodeo points. He graduated in May 2008 with a degree in finance.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/sutton-upbeat-returns-to-uw-classes/article_52e24a34-2269-5635-a362-19f37788f585.html|title=Sutton, upbeat, returns to UW classes|agency=Associated Press|work=The Billings Gazette|access-date=2018-10-15|language=en}}</ref>
Sutton competed professionally on the PRCA circuit, reaching a top 30 worldwide ranking.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.suttonforsd.com/meet-billie|title=Meet Billie|website=Sutton for South Dakota Governor|language=en-US|access-date=2017-07-15}}</ref> In 2007, Sutton was paralyzed from the waist down when his horse flipped upside down in the chute prior to a bronc ride at a rodeo in Minot, North Dakota.<ref name=Cowboy>{{cite news|last=Montgomery|first=David|title=Cowboy's dreams standing tall|url=http://www.argusleader.com/article/20130714/NEWS/307140018/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20131219101355/http://www.argusleader.com/article/20130714/NEWS/307140018/|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 December 2013|accessdate=19 December 2013|newspaper=Argus Leader|date=14 July 2013}}</ref> He was 23 years old at the time of the accident.
After the accident and completion of his college degree, Sutton returned to Burke to work as an investment consultant at a bank.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/politics/2017/05/31/archives-billie-sutton-state-senator-and-working-cowboy/358978001/|title=From the archives: Billie Sutton, state senator and working cowboy|work=Argus Leader|access-date=2018-10-15|language=en}}</ref>
==Political career== In 2010, Sutton was elected to the South Dakota Senate, representing District 21. He served as Senate Assistant Minority Leader from 2013 to 2015. He was succeeded in this position by Troy Heinert from District 26. In 2015, Sutton became the South Dakota Senate's Minority Leader.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Legislators/MemberDetail.aspx?Member=1000&Session=2016|title=2016 Session - Senator Billie H. Sutton|website=sdlegislature.gov|access-date=2016-06-16}}</ref>
In May 2017, Sutton announced his candidacy for Governor of South Dakota in 2018 at his family ranch in Burke, SD.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/politics/2017/05/30/south-dakotas-top-dem-announce-2018-plans/354393001/|title=Democrats, Sutton enter South Dakota governor race|work=Argus Leader|access-date=2017-07-15|language=en}}</ref> Michelle Lavallee of Sioux Falls, a former Republican, was the lieutenant governor candidate on Sutton's ticket.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.suttonforsd.com/meet-michelle|title=Meet Michelle Lavallee|website=Billie Sutton for South Dakota Governor|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-20}}</ref> Sutton lost in the 2018 South Dakota gubernatorial election, 51.0 to 47.6 percent, in the closest gubernatorial election in South Dakota since 1986.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ellis |first=Jonathan |title=Yes, South Dakota has had close governor races, but it's been awhile |url=https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/2018/11/06/south-dakota-2018-election-governor-race-billie-sutton-kristi-noem-george-mcgovern/1904752002/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=Argus Leader |language=en-US}}</ref>
===Endorsements=== The Sioux Falls Argus Leader and Rapid City Journal endorsed Sutton for South Dakota Governor in 2018.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.argusleader.com/story/opinion/editorials/2018/10/18/argus-leader-editorial-billie-sutton-kristi-noem-south-dakota-governor/1673818002/ | title = Editorial: Billie Sutton makes sense for South Dakota | date = October 18, 2018 | newspaper = Argus Leader}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://rapidcityjournal.com/opinion/editorial/ours-journal-endorses-sutton-for-governor/article_5a9722de-c923-5b19-b585-1f46becd7bad.html | newspaper = Rapid City Journal| title = OURS: Journal endorses Sutton for governor | date = October 19, 2018}}</ref> Sutton was also endorsed by a number of prominent Republicans, including former U.S. Senator Larry Pressler, former State Senate Majority Leader Dave Knudson, former state treasurer Dave Volk, former mayor of Sioux Falls Rick Knobe, and current Lincoln County Commissioner Jim Schmidt, among others.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mearhoff|first=Sarah|title=SD bombshell: Poll shows governor's race dead heat in deep red state|url=http://www.dglobe.com/news/government-and-politics/4519448-sd-bombshell-poll-shows-governors-race-dead-heat-deep-red-state|website=The Globe|publisher=The Globe|date=October 25, 2018|access-date=November 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104211130/http://www.dglobe.com/news/government-and-politics/4519448-sd-bombshell-poll-shows-governors-race-dead-heat-deep-red-state|archive-date=November 4, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|title=Sutton Picks Up Republican Endorsements|url=https://www.kdlt.com/2018/10/25/sutton-picks-up-republican-endorsements/|website=KDLT|publisher=KDLT|date=October 25, 2018|access-date=November 4, 2018|archive-date=November 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181105012147/https://www.kdlt.com/2018/10/25/sutton-picks-up-republican-endorsements/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Mercer|first=Bob|title=Election Analysis: Democrats Seeking Republican Votes|url=https://www.keloland.com/news/capitol-news-bureau/election-analysis-democrats-seeking-republican-votes/1562334088|website=KELO|publisher=Nexstar Media Group|date=October 30, 2018}}</ref>
===Political views=== Sutton is a "pro-Second Amendment" moderate Democrat with an anti-corruption focus.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.startribune.com/cowboy-turned-lawmaker-hopes-to-be-south-dakota-governor/491178231/|title=Cowboy turned lawmaker hopes to be South Dakota governor|agency=Associated Press|access-date=2018-08-20|last=Nord|first=James|date=August 20, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-05/a-south-dakota-election-sees-an-unusual-shift-toward-democrats|title=A South Dakota Election Takes an Unusual Shift Toward Democrats|newspaper=Bloomberg|date=5 October 2018 |access-date=2018-10-11}}</ref>
==Personal life== While the accident that paralyzed him ended Sutton's rodeo career, it did not quell his love of horse riding, an activity he still enjoys alongside his wife Kelsea.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/politics/2017/05/31/archives-billie-sutton-state-senator-and-working-cowboy/358978001/|title=From the archives: Billie Sutton, state senator and working cowboy|work=Argus Leader|access-date=2017-07-15|language=en}}</ref> Sutton and his wife have three sons.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/21/us/south-dakota-rodeo-billie-sutton.html|title=Democrats Lost Rural America. This Former Rodeo Star Thinks He Can Win It Back.|last=Healy|first=Jack|date=2018-10-21|work=The New York Times|access-date=2018-12-07|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> A daughter, Lenore, was born July 8, 2020, but died a week later.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dakotabroadcasting.com/local-news-blog/519258|title = One time Democratic gubernatorial candidate Billie Sutton and wife Kelsea lose newborn baby girl}}</ref> In August 2022, a community splash pad in Burke named Lenny's Lily Pad was opened to honor their daughter.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-07 |title='I think this project is about love': New splash pad opens in Burke |url=https://www.keloland.com/news/local-news/i-think-this-project-is-about-love-new-splash-pad-opens-in-burke/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=KELOLAND.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Electoral history == {| class="wikitable" !Year !Office !Result |- |'''2018''' |Governor of South Dakota |Sutton was unopposed in the Democratic primary and was defeated in the general election by Kristi Noem (R) with 161,454 votes (47.6%) to Noem's 172,912 votes (51.0%).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/south-dakota-governor|title=South Dakota Governor Election Results|last=|first=|date=2019-01-28|website=New York Times|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107145436/https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/south-dakota-governor |archive-date=2018-11-07 |access-date=}}</ref> |- |'''2016''' |State Senate |Sutton was unopposed in the Democratic primary and in the general election.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sos.sd.gov/Elections/CandidateList.aspx?eid=177|title=2016 Election Candidate List|access-date=2016-06-16|archive-date=2016-06-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629211803/http://sos.sd.gov/Elections/CandidateList.aspx?eid=177|url-status=dead}}</ref> |- |'''2014''' |State Senate |Sutton was unopposed in the Democratic primary and in the general election. |- |'''2012''' |State Senate |Sutton was unopposed in the Democratic primary and defeated John S. Meyer (R) in the general election with 5723 votes (59.46%) to Meyer's 3902 (40.54%).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://electionresults.sd.gov/resultsSW.aspx?eid=5&type=LEG&map=DIST|title=Secretary of State - State Legislative Races}}</ref> |- |'''2010''' |State Senate |Sutton defeated John S. Meyer (R) in the general election with 4167 votes (57.78%) to Meyer's 3045 (42.22%).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/election-resources/election-history/2010/2010_general_election_legislature.aspx|title=Election Resources: South Dakota Secretary of State, Shantel Krebs|website=sdsos.gov|access-date=2016-06-16}}</ref> |}
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== * [https://www.suttonforsd.com/ Official campaign website]{{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=121208 | fec= | congress= }} * [http://ballotpedia.org/Billie_Sutton Biography] at Ballotpedia
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-sd-sen}} {{s-bef|before=Jason Frerichs}} {{s-ttl|title=Minority Leader of the South Dakota Senate|years=2015–2019}} {{s-aft|after=Troy Heinert}} |- {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Susan Wismer}} {{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for Governor of South Dakota|years=2018}} {{s-aft|after=Jamie Smith}} {{s-end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sutton, Billie}} Category:1984 births Category:21st-century members of the South Dakota Legislature Category:American politicians with disabilities Category:Candidates in the 2018 United States elections Category:Democratic Party South Dakota state senators Category:Living people Category:People from Burke, South Dakota Category:Politicians with paraplegia Category:University of Wyoming alumni