{{Short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2017}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = <!-- only free-content images are allowed for depicting living people - see WP:NONFREE --> | image_size = 150px | name = Eldon Nygaard | caption = American Politician | state_senate = South Dakota | state = South Dakota | district = 17th | term_start = 2011 | term_end = 2013 | preceded = Ben Nesselhuf | succeeded = Tom Jones | party = Democratic (before 2010)<br>Republican (since 2010) | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|04|17}} | birth_place = Viborg, South Dakota | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater = University of Nebraska (BBA)<br>Marquette University (JD) | profession = Attorney<br>Farmer | website = }}
'''Eldon Eugene Nygaard''' is an American politician who served as a member of both houses of the South Dakota Legislature.
==Early life and career== Eldon Nygaard was born April 17, 1946, in Viborg, South Dakota and raised on a farm near that city.<ref name="2007 SD Manual"/><ref name="Kerzman 2020"/> He is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.<ref>{{cite journal|first1=Jean|last1=Schroedel|first2=Artour|last2=Aslanian|title=Native American Vote Suppression: The Case of South Dakota|journal=Race, Gender & Class|volume=22|number=1–2|pages=308–323|publisher=Claremont Graduate University|access-date=April 5, 2024|url=https://pwc.rice.edu/sites/g/files/bxs4281/files/2022-06/Schroedel%20and%20Aslanian.pdf}}</ref> Nygaard saw service in the Vietnam War with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment.<ref>{{cite book|last=Nolan|first=Keith William|title=The Battle for Saigon: Tet, 1968|year=2002|publisher=Presidio Press|location=Novato, California|page=264|url=https://archive.org/details/battleforsaigont0000nola/page/264/mode/2up?q=%22Eldon+E.+Nygaard%22|access-date=April 5, 2024|via=Internet Archive}}</ref> He retired as an Army Aviator with the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4.<ref name="2007 SD Manual"/> {{citation needed span|date=April 2024|He flew more than 1000 combat missions in Vietnam and was shot down four times from 1967 to 1968; Awards and Decorations include: Distinguish Flying Cross (2) in the Republic of Vietnam, Purple Heart, 32 awards of the Air Medal, 1 Air Medal with “V” device, 3 awards of the Army Commendation Meal, 2 with “V” device, 1 Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, Presidential Unit Citation, Valorous Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Citation. He served a total of 34 years of service in the active Army, the Army Reserves and Army National Guards}}. He earned a bachelor of business administration from the University of Nebraska Omaha in 1972 and his Juris Doctor degree from Marquette University Law School in 1976. He taught political science at the University of South Dakota.<ref name="2007 SD Manual"/> In 1993, Eldon retired to the farm where he was raised near Viborg, South Dakota. Three years later, he established Valiant Vineyards, the first vineyard in South Dakota.<ref name="Kerzman 2020">{{cite news|title='A Hobby That Got Out Of Hand': Valiant Vineyard Shares Vermillion History Through Wine|date=September 29, 2020|first=Lexi|last=Kerzman|access-date=April 3, 2024|url=https://volanteonline.com/2020/09/a-hobby-that-got-out-of-hand-valiant-vineyard-shares-vermillion-history-through-wine/|newspaper=The Volante}}</ref>
==Political career== In the 2006 general election, he was elected to represent the 17th district, which included Clay and Turner counties.<ref name="2007 SD Manual">{{cite book|editor-last=Nelson|editor-first=Chris|editor-link=Chris Nelson (American politician)|title=2007 Legislative Manual of South Dakota|chapter=Members of the House of Representatives|page=55|publisher=South Dakota Secretary of State|location=Pierre, South Dakota|year=2007|access-date=April 5, 2024|url=https://sdsdl-montage.auto-graphics.com/#/itemDetailsPDF?entityId=entities_1056&fileId=FileEntities_1088&fileName=p15307coll3_17499.pdf}}</ref> During the 86th South Dakota Legislature, Nygaard served as a member of the Committee on Health and Human Services and the Committee on Commerce.<ref>{{cite book|title=2007 Legislative Manual|page=226}}</ref> During the 87th Legislature, Nygaard was elevated to serve as one of the Democratic Caucus' whips and continued his service on the Commerce and Health and Human Services committees.<ref>{{cite book|editor-last=Nelson|editor-first=Chris|chapter=Directory of State Government|title=2009 South Dakota Legislative Manual|page=227|publisher=South Dakota Secretary of State|location=Pierre, South Dakota|access-date=April 5, 2024|url=https://sdsdl-montage.auto-graphics.com/#/item-details/entities_1058}}</ref>
In 2010, Democratic incumbent Ben Nesselhuf vacated his seat and ran for South Dakota Secretary of State. Nygaard defeated Republican candidate Terri Jorgenson for the seat. Shortly after his election to the state senate as a Democrat, Nygaard joined the Republican Party.<ref>{{cite news|last=Mercer|first=Bob|title=Do Democrats have good reason for complaints in redistricting?|date=October 1, 2011|newspaper=The Watertown Public Opinion|access-date=April 5, 2024|url=https://www.thepublicopinion.com/story/news/local/2011/10/01/do-democrats-have-good-reason-for-complaints-in-redistricting/46006431/|quote=Those retirements by Democratic senators Scott Heidepriem of Sioux Falls, Ben Nesselhuf of Vermillion, Julie Bartlett of Burke and Jim Peterson of Revillo produced a net loss of three seats for the Democrats. Worse, Nesselhuf's successor switched parties after the election; Sen. Eldon Nygaard of Vermillion now is a Republican.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|editor-last=Gant|editor-first=Jason M.|title=South Dakota Official Election Returns and Registration Figures|page=21|date=April 2011|publisher=South Dakota Secretary of State|location=Pierre, South Dakota|access-date=April 5, 2024|url=https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/assets/South%20Dakota%20Official%20Election%20Returns%20and%20Registration%202010.pdf}}</ref> In the Senate, he served as Vice Chair of the Commerce & Energy Committee and served as a member on the Commerce Committee, Judiciary Committee, and Taxation Committee.<ref name="2011 Legislative Manual">{{cite book|editor-last=Gant|editor-first=Jason M.|title=2011 South Dakota Legislative Manual|publisher=South Dakota Secretary of State|location=Pierre, South Dakota|page=89|access-date=April 5, 2024|url=https://sdsdl-montage.auto-graphics.com/#/item-details/entities_1264}}</ref> In the 2012 general election, Nygaard did not seek reelection. He was succeeded in the 17th district by Tom Jones.<ref>{{cite news|last=Mercer|first=Bob|title=Republicans stay in control of Legislature|date=November 8, 2012|newspaper=Capital Journal|quote=The Jones' victory was important because it returned a previously Democratic seat. Two years ago Eldon Nygaard of Vermillion won election as a Democrat but switched political parties so he could have more influence as a Republican. Nygaard didn't seek re-election this year.|via=NewsBank}}</ref>
==Post-political career== As of 2017, he is president of the South Dakota Wineries Association, a trade association for wineries.<ref name="Lockett 2017">{{cite news|last=Lockett|first=Chynna|title=Vineyards Begin Harvest|date=September 8, 2017|newspaper=South Dakota Public Radio|access-date=April 5, 2024|url=https://listen.sdpb.org/arts-culture/2017-09-08/vineyards-begin-harvest}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://legis.state.sd.us/sessions/2008/MemberDetail51.htm South Dakota Legislature – Eldon Nygaard] '''official SD House website''' {{SD-legdb|3781}} *[http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=56812 Project Vote Smart – Representative Eldon E. Nygaard (SD)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100830080700/http://votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=56812 |date=August 30, 2010 }} profile *''Follow the Money'' – Eldon E Nygaard **[http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=103058 2008] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=86222 2006] campaign contributions
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nygaard, Eldon}} Category:1946 births Category:Living people Category:People from Viborg, South Dakota Category:United States Army aviators Category:United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War Category:University of Nebraska Omaha alumni Category:Marquette University Law School alumni Category:South Dakota Democrats Category:Members of the South Dakota House of Representatives Category:South Dakota Republicans Category:South Dakota state senators Category:People from Vermillion, South Dakota Category:Native American state legislators in South Dakota Category:21st-century members of the South Dakota Legislature
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