VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Lilie Schoenack is running for Barnes County State’s Attorney.
Tonya Duffy is also running for the position of Barnes County State’s Attorney. Schoenack and Duffy will appear on the November 6th general election ballot in Barnes County.
Duffy’s name wasn’t on the June Primary/Election ballot but North Dakota Century Code has a provision that, if a vacancy is created in the position after the normal filing deadlines to get on the primary, a person can file a petition with the required amount of signatures by the general election filing date and get on the ballot.
The position opened after Barnes County State’s Attorney Carl Martineck decided not to run for re-election. Martineck will become the next City Attorney for Valley City at the end of 2018.
The following is a news release by Lilie Schoenack.
So why are you uniquely qualified? I was the Assistant Barnes County State’s Attorney for more than two years. Since August 1, 2017, I’ve served as the Valley City Attorney/HR Director. Before that, I clerked for a federal judge. I graduated from UND School of Law third in my class!
Far more than these accomplishments, my empathy for victims and ability to relate to those in need transcends anything that fits on a résumé and is vital for a successful prosecutor. I was a victim of a crime at young age, so I know what it takes to keep our community safe and how to fight to ensure justice prevails—I DON’T give up when I know I’m doing the right thing!
I grew up in Minnesota in the 1980’s on welfare in a family with five kids and a single mom. Life was hard but I came through with strength and gratitude because of my mother. She overcame impossible obstacles with grace and kindness. In fact, I became a hard working public servant by modeling the same strength and drive that she harnessed to keep five children warm and fed and loved while putting herself through college. With this background, I developed a strong work ethic, intense sense of appreciation for the opportunities I have realized, empathy for those less fortunate, and drive to empower others to realize their own potential.
When I was 15, my mom graduated from college and we moved to Fargo. I had my daughter Michelle a year later. I started college at NDSU right after high school, but I had to leave without my degree because I needed to get a full time job. I met my husband Jason in 1994 and we were married in 2002. In 2005, I had my son Noah. When he was old enough for preschool, I went back to NDSU and got my B.S. in political science. Next, I went to law school at UND from 2011 to 2014. I’ve lived in Valley City since June, 2016.
I would appreciate your vote in the November election.
Lilie Schoenack