Claire Ketcham is a registered nurse, community leader, and proud Democratic candidate for the South Dakota House of Representatives in District 10.

Claire has spent her career at the bedside, listening to patients, advocating for families, and navigating the real-life challenges of our healthcare system. With experience in surgical-trauma care, outpatient services, and procedural nursing, she’s seen firsthand how policy decisions impact people’s lives.

Outside of the hospital, Claire volunteers with Midwest Street Medicine, delivering care to unsheltered and underserved members of the Sioux Falls community. Her work in the field has deepened her commitment to making healthcare accessible, equitable, and rooted in dignity for all.

Claire is running for the South Dakota House because she believes in a government that shows up, for nurses, for working families, for LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities, and for everyone too often pushed to the margins. She’s ready to bring compassion, clinical experience, and common-sense problem-solving to Pierre.

When she’s not working or organizing, Claire enjoys traveling with her husband Alex, staying active, going to local events, and trying every restaurant in Sioux Falls.

She’s not a career politician — she’s a caregiver stepping up to lead.