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Congressman Connie Mack IV, which would cut government spending by 1 percent each year for six years and then cap spending in the seventh year to balance the budget.
• "Nobody likes to cut," Ravnsborg said. "We like to, obviously, have all the things we have. But it's either that or raise taxes, and I guess I would prefer to tighten the belt a little bit."
• Ravnsborg said he'd like to replace Obama's Affordable Care Act with the Patient CARE Act offered by Republican Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Orrin Hatch of Utah. The plan would reduce health care costs while maintaining aspects important to citizens such as coverage of preexisting conditions and coverage until an adult child reaches the age of 26, he said.
• Ravnsborg is a major in the U.S. Army Reserves and has been deployed three times -- to Germany in 2003, Iraq in 2004 and Afghanistan in 2009. He said his military service provides a strong foreign affairs background, and working with different NATO partners will help prepare him for working across the aisle with Democratic colleagues.
• "I've brought people together," he said. "I've had to be disciplined and had adversity under pressure."
• Jon Schaff, a political science professor at Northern State University, said Ravnsborg is a longshot to win the nomination as he's never run for office, doesn't have a natural constituency and has a small campaign operation. Schaff said the GOP primary winner will likely need to get at least a third of the vote.
• "I just don't see how he does that, unless everybody else so eviscerates each other," he said.
• Ravnsborg said being a political newcomer is a good thing.
• "I'm not bought and paid for," he said.
•

• Democratic, Republican candidates jointly criticize front-runner for out-of-state fundraising
• SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- Two U.S. Senate candidates on opposite sides of the political spectrum called a joint news conference Monday to protest the Republican front-runner's out-of-state fundraising.
• Democratic candidate Rick Weiland and Republican state Rep. Stace Nelson stood side-by-side accusing former Gov. Mike Rounds of trying to buy the race, but the focus of their statements diverged greatly.

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