Dell Rapids man to run against Johnson for U.S. House

DELL RAPIDS, S.D. (AP) — A financial crime specialist from Dell Rapids is running as a Democrat for the U.S. House seat currently held by Republican Dusty Johnson.

Brian Wirth is treasurer of the Minnehaha County Democratic Party. He lost to state Sen. Kris Langer in District 25 last year, a district he says is heavily gerrymandered in favor of Republicans.

The 36-year-old Wirth says he wants to bring attention to the problems of gerrymandering in his campaign. The Argus Leader says Wirth also wants to focus on Republicans’ tax increases and Democrats’ work to support health care and higher wages for residents.

Wirth works in fraud and financial crime detection and prevention at banking institutions.

Johnson, in his first term in Congress, hasn’t announced yet that’s he seeking re-election.