South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden secured a endorsement from President Donald Trump on Truth Social for the state party’s nomination, heading toward a November 3 general election against Democratic nominee Dan Ahlers, following a primary cycle and Republican gubernatorial transition.
President Trump Endorses Governor Larry Rhoden After Primary Runoff
Republican President Donald Trump gave his Complete and Total Endorsement
to South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden in a post on Truth Social. The endorsement arrived after Trump remained neutral during the state Republican Party’s four-candidate primary race and subsequent top-two runoff.
Governor Rhoden finished second behind Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden in the initial four-way primary on June 2. Following that vote, both Rhoden and Trump appeared at a Mount Rushmore fireworks display on July 3, where each delivered speeches. Trump withheld any endorsement at that gathering before Rhoden ultimately defeated Doeden in the July 28 runoff election.
“I look forward to continuing to work with you and your administration to keep South Dakota strong, safe, and free!”
Governor Larry Rhoden, via press release
The gubernatorial seat opened last year when former Republican Governor Kristi Noem resigned to accept a job leading the Department of Homeland Security under Trump. Rhoden, who served as Noem’s lieutenant governor, stepped up to complete the remainder of her term.
Democratic Nominee Dan Ahlers Responds to the National Endorsement
Rhoden’s opponent in the upcoming general election is Democratic nominee Dan Ahlers, a former legislator from Dell Rapids.
Ahlers added that he is happy for Larry
because he is sure President Trump’s endorsement means a lot to him.
He stressed that voters across the state are the individuals whose trust he aims to earn as he campaigns for the governor’s office ahead of the November 3 matchup.
Incumbent Secretary of State Monae Johnson Endorses Democratic Challenger
While the gubernatorial race follows conventional party lines, the contest for South Dakota Secretary of State has taken an unexpected turn. Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Monae Johnson released a personal statement endorsing her Democratic challenger, Terrence Davis, to succeed her in office.
Johnson, who initially won her post in 2022, broke with allies after the state Republican Party convention nominated Heather Baxter to run for the office, leaving Johnson outside her party’s current ticket.
“South Dakota deserves a Secretary of State who will strengthen confidence through performance rather than provocation; who will support election officials rather than burden them for political effect; who will protect voter access and election security without pretending those goals are enemies; and who will treat the office’s employees, voters, candidates, and business owners with dignity.”
Monae Johnson, South Dakota Secretary of State
A Three-Way Race Takes Shape for Secretary of State
The upcoming November election features a three-way competition for Secretary of State, an office responsible for overseeing elections, business registrations, and official state records. The candidate field includes Republican Heather Baxter, Democrat Terrence Davis, and Libertarian Tamara Lesnar.
Baxter secured the Republican nomination at the party convention earlier this year, campaigning on a platform focused on election security and improving services for voters and businesses. Lesnar, representing the Libertarian Party, emphasizes administrative efficiency and addressing policies she argues have negatively impacted residents. Davis, backed by the incumbent secretary, highlights maintaining trust in election systems alongside managing the broader duties of the constitutional office.
Legal Challenge Targets Voter Registration Rules
Alongside high-profile candidate races, South Dakota’s electoral landscape faces scrutiny in federal court. A nonprofit organization and a Sioux Falls voter filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s new proof-of-citizenship requirement for voter registration.
The requirement stems from Senate Bill 175, which was passed by state lawmakers and signed into law by Governor Larry Rhoden in March. The litigation targets the implementation of these documentary proof rules as voters prepare to head to the polls on November 3.
Worth a look
