SF Mayoral Candidate Leaves Job

Serving as mayor of Sioux Falls is a full-time job but for one mayoral candidate, campaigning for the city's top spot is now the only thing on his mind. Tuesday, Sioux Falls businessman Mike Huether announced he's resigned as the Executive Vice President of Premier Bankcard to focus on his mayoral campaign full-time.

Huether says serving the people of Sioux Falls is a full-time job, and that's why he's stepping away from Premier Bankcard. But other mayoral candidates say it's not a campaign move they'll make because being able to balance a campaign and a job is a good quality for a mayor.

Huether worked full-time at Premier Bankcard for ten years, but now he's making his run at the mayor's office a full-time responsibility.

"When I do something, I do it with as much energy and spirit as I can and that's one thing the city of Sioux Falls will get used to," Huether said.

Huether officially filed to run for mayor three weeks ago.  While leaving his day job to focus on his campaign is an unconventional move, he says it shows his commitment to the city.

"There's no messing around here.  This is an important job for the city. This is an important job for the state. I want to represent the people of Sioux Falls and I want to show them just how serious I am," Huether said. 

"I think I do a pretty good job of balancing family, job and serving the community," Sioux Falls mayoral candidate Vernon Brown said.

Sioux Falls city council member and mayoral candidate Vernon Brown says he can't afford to leave his job to focus on his campaign.

"I really respect Mike and if that works for him that's great, but like many people in Sioux Falls, I have a mortgage, a car payment and a daughter who I hope will go to college some day. So that doesn't work for me and I think the citizens of Sioux Falls will respect that too," Brown said.

Mayoral candidate Bill Peterson just experienced a death in his family and said politics is one of the last things on his mind right now but told KELOLAND News in a statement:

"Mike Huether has his campaign to run and I have my campaign to run and on April 13, the voters will make the final decision," Peterson said. 

And Huether hopes his decision will help voters make theirs.

"I want to do everything I can to win and that is why I did it, " Huether said.

So far Huether, Brown and Peterson are the only three to officially file paperwork to run for mayor.