Sioux Falls lawyer who hosted a picnic for Gov. Kristi Noem plans to run for City Council

A Sioux Falls lawyer with connections to the South Dakota GOP has filed to run for a Sioux Falls City Council seat in the 2022 election.

David Barranco filed a statement of organization Monday, stating he would be running to represent the southeast district, a seat currently occupied by Councilor Rick Kiley, who is term-limited.

The paperwork was filed shortly after an active campaign website with pages on his personal life, vision for Sioux Falls, donations and campaigning went live.

Barranco, the first prospective city councilor to file for the 2022 election, confirmed his intent to run for the seat in a statement, saying he would "strive to be a cooperative consensus builder" who "embraces good policy but eschews divisive rhetoric."

Barranco added he would look to expand the local workforce and create more affordable housing if elected, with supporting law enforcement, keeping the economy strong and defending public health named as some of his other goals.

More: Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken officially announces he's running for reelection

Barranco's website says he chose to live in the city for its schools, as well as to live in a city that "protects its residents and respects law enforcement," adding he's passionate about reducing crime and growing the economy.

He specifically notes he hates traffic, which he says waste time, pollutes the air, threatens safety and "magnifies psychic friction," saying he hopes to upgrade civic infrastructure and expand work-from-home options.

"I would be deeply honored to serve on city council, valuing and protecting local families while helping our community grow," Barranco's website reads.

He's also not a fan of "lockdowns" in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, writing that their "severe economic costs increased poverty, substance abuse, crime, and suicide," and that "it’s pointless to protect Americans from the virus if we allow them to be murdered by criminals or if an interminable economic shutdown leaves millions wallowing in depression and succumbing to opioids."

Barranco's wife, who is also serving as the treasurer of his campaign, is Catherine O'Gorman Barranco. She is currently the first Vice President of the South Dakota Federation of Republican Women, and has also worked as the data director for the South Dakota GOP. The couple hosted a picnic for Gov. Kristi Noem at their Sioux Falls home in 2018.

The election, set for April 12, 2022, will see voters choose who will fill four city council positions, as well as the position of mayor. Only a few candidates have officially announced their intent to run, including incumbent Mayor Paul TenHaken.