Gov. Larry Rhoden will not participate in a one-on-one debate against Republican gubernatorial runoff opponent Toby Doeden before South Dakota voters choose their party’s nominee later this month.

The Rhoden for South Dakota campaign made the announcement Friday afternoon amid growing pressure from South Dakota news outlets and the Aberdeen businessman’s campaign to participate in additional public forums ahead of next month’s runoff election, which will determine the Republican nominee for governor.

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Left-wing politicos are hurling spoiler accusations in South Dakota. But this time, it’s backers of the independent calling for the Democratic candidate’s departure from the U.S. Senate race.

A second run for federal office by a former Democrat-turned-independent with statewide name recognition and a growing campaign war chest has some progressive activists questioning whether Democrats are backing the strongest challenger to incumbent Republican Sen. Mike Rounds.

The debate has intensified in recent weeks as independent candidate Brian Bengs continues to outraise Democratic nominee Julian Beaudion. Public polling also suggests the former Democratic Senate candidate may be better positioned to compete against Rounds in November.

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Recently reelected District 28B Rep. Travis Ismay of Newell is facing an arrest warrant for alleged intentional damage to a highway — which is a felony.

According to a Butte County Grand Jury indictment, Ismay violated South Dakota Law 31-32-1, which makes it illegal to “intentionally dig up, remove, displace, break, or otherwise injure or destroy any public highway or bridge, or any private way laid out by authority of law.”

The Class 6 felony includes up to a two-year prison term and/or a fine of up to $4,000.

Court documents indicate the arrest warrant was issued Tuesday, but it was not immediately clear whether Ismay had been arrested.

So far, Ismay has declined comment.

Ismay won the District 28B house seat June 2 with 55 percent of the vote. He beat Larry Schmoltz in the race.

Content courtesy of The Rapid City Post.

Correction: A previous version of this article used the incorrect first name of former South Dakota Attorney General Mark Barnett. The Dakota Scout strives for accuracy and fitness and deeply regrets the error.

Jon Hansen’s defeat in the GOP gubernatorial primary could shake up the race for another corner office in South Dakota’s capital city.

That’s because the Dell Rapids legislator’s fourth-place finish in last week’s high-profile intra-Republican bout for the party’s nomination for governor left open the possibility of a run for attorney general.

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Former President Joe Biden reunited with a South Dakotan colleague from his days in the U.S. Senate this weekend in the Sioux Falls area.

Larry Pressler, a former moderate Republican lawmaker who served on Capitol Hill from 1975–97, visited with Biden, who was in Sioux Falls as a keynote speaker for the South Dakota Democratic Party’s McGovern Day Dinner.

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A wave of populist conservatives won seats in the South Dakota Legislature in 2024, fueled in part by an anti-establishment, anti-carbon pipeline sentiment.

But two years later, that class of freshman lawmakers might better be known as the class of one and done.

Several of the GOP legislators who won seats under the populist mantle failed to earn reelection Tuesday. The outcomes in those local races diverged from the top of the ticket, where populist standard-bearer Toby Doeden won the most votes in the governor’s race, triggering a runoff with Gov. Larry Rhoden.

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The political future for Congressman Dusty Johnson is uncertain.

Among the questions awaiting the four-term congressman who finished third in Tuesday’s four-way primary election for the GOP nomination for governor is who he’ll put his support behind and what’s next for the longtime staple of South Dakota politics.

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Gov. Larry Rhoden squeaked into a runoff with Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden, who won the highest vote total in a four-candidate race for the GOP nomination for governor.

Rhoden finished second after a tight battle for the second runoff spot against Congressman Dusty Johnson. Earlier in the night, both Rhoden and Johnson expressed optimism they would finish second.

Doeden, meanwhile, said he might hit the elusive 35 percent mark to avoid a runoff.

“We might even wrap this up tonight,” Toby Doeden said while addressing his election night warehouse party crowd at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.

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South Dakota’s largest county is again lagging in vote tabulation, this time holding up outcomes in the 2026 primary election.

And that means nominating contests between Republicans for governor, the Legislature, county offices and nonpartisan city races in Sioux Falls remained unresolved in the early morning hours Wednesday due to another slow count in Minnehaha County.

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Two South Dakota Republican gubernatorial hopefuls in the 2026 election are headed for a runoff.

But one of the candidates in the four-way race that shows each candidate within points of one another has claimed victory with dozens of precincts left to count.

“We might even wrap this up tonight,” Toby Doeden said while addressing his election night warehouse party crowd at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.

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South Dakota Republicans sent a pair of established political names to represent them in Washington in the U.S. Senate and House on Tuesday.

Republicans tapped current Sen. Mike Rounds to run for a third term in the general election and Attorney General Marty Jackley for a first-term House seat. Both will face Democratic challengers in the November election, and for Rounds, he also faces an independent in the race.

Rounds was beating West River businessman Justin McNeal 77 percent to 23 percent with more than 50 percent of the state’s precincts reporting, while Jackley was beating another West River businessman, James Biolata, 80 percent to 20 percent. Both McNeal and Biolata are military veterans.

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Republicans, Democrats and non-affiliated voters alike will have a say in the future of their cities, counties and state when they head to the polls for South Dakota’s 2026 primary election.

And for the first time ever in the Sioux Falls area, the primary election is being held in conjunction with both a municipal and school board election.

With Democrats fielding unopposed nominees in the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor’s race and some county level positions, Republican voters have more at stake in today’s election. But non-Republicans can still cast their ballots for candidates looking for spots on the school board, city council and City Hall.

Here’s a look at the primary fields that will determine who advances to face Democratic nominees in November, and who wants on the school board, council and mayor’s office.

U.S. SENATE - GOP PRIMARY

Republican voters will choose between a long-serving incumbent and a political newcomer for the chance to face Democratic nominee Julian Beaudion and independent candidate Brian Bengs in November.

Justin McNeal

Justin McNeal, 42, of Rapid City, is a U.S. Navy veteran and financial professional who worked as a nuclear engineer aboard submarines before transitioning into the private sector. He later founded a wealth management firm and has been involved in multiple business ventures, including agriculture and energy-related work, as well as founding Dakota Biochar, which converts wood waste into agricultural products.

McNeal is positioning himself as a political outsider challenging longtime incumbent U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds. His campaign centers on reducing federal spending, addressing the national debt and imposing congressional term limits.

Mike Rounds

U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, 71, of Fort Pierre, is a former South Dakota governor and longtime state and federal officeholder who has served in the U.S. Senate since 2015. Before that, he served two terms as governor from 2003 to 2011 and spent a decade in the South Dakota Legislature.

Rounds built his early career in insurance and real estate before entering politics. In the Senate, he serves on the Appropriations, Armed Services, Banking, Indian Affairs and Intelligence committees. His campaign emphasizes experience, federal influence and continued representation of South Dakota’s interests in Washington.

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South Dakota’s leading alternative, independent and locally owned newspaper focusing on culture and politics in the Mount Rushmore State. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

U.S. CONGRESS - GOP PRIMARY

With U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson not seeking reelection, Republicans are competing for an open at-large seat that will determine who faces Democratic nominee Nikki Gronli in the general election.

Marty Jackley

Marty Jackley, 55, of Pierre, is South Dakota’s current attorney general and a former U.S. attorney for the District of South Dakota. He has served two separate stints as the state’s top prosecutor, first from 2009 to 2019 and again beginning in 2023.

Jackley previously served as U.S. attorney from 2006 to 2009 after being appointed by President George W. Bush. A Sturgis native, he holds degrees from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and the University of South Dakota School of Law.

He is running for Congress after years in statewide law enforcement leadership, emphasizing public safety, federal law enforcement experience and conservative governance.

James Bialota Jr.

James Bialota Jr., 48, of Piedmont, is a U.S. Air Force veteran, businessman and political outsider with experience in civic engagement and local advocacy in western South Dakota. He holds a paralegal certification and has previously run for county office.

Bialota’s campaign emphasizes constitutional rights, justice system reform and outsider leadership. He is positioning himself as an alternative to establishment candidates, focusing on law enforcement accountability, individual liberties and limited government.

GOVERNOR - GOP PRIMARY

A crowded four-way Republican primary will determine who succeeds the post-Noem transition and advances to the general election against Democratic nominee Dan Ahlers, setting up the state’s most closely watched statewide race.

Larry Rhoden

Gov. Larry Rhoden, 67, of Union Center, is the incumbent governor of South Dakota, having assumed office in 2025 following the transition from the Noem administration. A rancher and former South Dakota Army National Guard member, Rhoden has spent more than two decades in state politics, including service in both chambers of the Legislature and as lieutenant governor from 2019 to 2025.

Rhoden’s campaign highlights property tax relief, rural values, public safety and economic stability. He is running with Lt. Gov. Tony Venhuizen and emphasizes steady leadership rooted in agriculture, faith and continuity of state governance.

Jon Hansen

Jon Hansen, 40, of Dell Rapids, is Speaker of the South Dakota House of Representatives and a practicing attorney. First elected in 2010, Hansen has become a leading voice in the state’s conservative legislative movement, particularly on fiscal policy, social issues and state constitutional debates.

Hansen’s campaign focuses on reducing property taxes, cutting government spending, limiting state “waste” and advancing conservative social priorities. He is running with Rep. Karla Lems and presents himself as a change candidate from within the Legislature.

Dusty Johnson

U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, 49, of Mitchell, is South Dakota’s at-large congressman, first elected to the U.S. House in 2018. He previously served as chair of the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission and as chief of staff to former Gov. Dennis Daugaard, along with private-sector work in telecommunications consulting.

Johnson is running for governor after three terms in Congress, emphasizing economic development, conservative governance, infrastructure investment and a pragmatic policy approach shaped by both state and federal experience.

Toby Doeden

Toby Doeden, 51, of Aberdeen, is a businessman and political newcomer who leads the Doeden Investment Group, which includes automotive, real estate and other business ventures across northeastern South Dakota. He rose through the automotive industry to become owner of Aberdeen Chrysler Center.

Doeden is positioning himself as a self-described anti-establishment conservative. His campaign emphasizes eliminating property taxes, reducing government spending, opposing political “establishment” figures and advancing a strongly conservative policy agenda rooted in outsider business experience.

SIOUX FALLS MAYOR -
NON-PARTISAN

With Mayor Paul TenHaken term-limited and leaving office after two terms, five candidates are competing to become Sioux Falls’ next mayor.

The race is nonpartisan and features a mix of former elected officials, business leaders, policy advocates and repeat candidates.

David Zokaites

Zokaites is a civic activist and frequent public commentator. He’s also a perennial municipal candidate, making his third attempt at the mayor’s office. He ran for city council is 2024 as well.

Known for detailed policy proposals and regular participation in public meetings, Zokaites says he’s running to bring new ideas and reforms to city government.

Christine Erickson

Erickson is among the best-known political figures — and well financed — in the field. A former Sioux Falls City Council member and former South Dakota state legislator, she currently leads both the South Dakota Auto Dealers Association and South Dakota Trucking Association as president.

Erickson has emphasized public safety, affordability, economic growth and practical governance.

Greg Jamison

Jamison is a businessman, state legislator and former Sioux Falls City Council member making another bid for mayor after previous campaigns in 2014 and 2018. He currently serves in the South Dakota House of Representatives.

Jamison has framed his campaign around economic development, law enforcement support and managing growth in South Dakota’s largest city.

Joe Batcheller

Batcheller is a Sioux Falls businessman and urban planning and civic development figure. He previously served as president of Downtown Sioux Falls Inc. and has built much of his career around community planning, economic development and city growth issues.

Batcheller presents himself as a civic-minded problem solver focused on growth management, quality of life and maximizing Sioux Falls’ long-term potential.

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South Dakota’s leading alternative, independent and locally owned newspaper focusing on culture and politics in the Mount Rushmore State. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Jamie Smith

Smith is a Democratic state senator and the Democratic nominee for governor in 2022, when he challenged Gov. Kristi Noem. A longtime Sioux Falls legislator, realtor, business owner and former coach and teacher, he enters the mayor’s race as a top rival to Erickson.

Smith has cast himself as a “servant leader” focused on practical city issues and neighborhood concerns.

Runoff could be necessary

The June 2 election might not be decision day. If none of the five candidates achieve 50 percent, the top two vote-getters will faceoff in a runoff election that would take place Tuesday, June 23.

SIOUX FALLS CITY COUNCIL -
NON-PARTISAN

Crowded council fields could mean some down ballot races also won’t be settled in Tuesday’s municipal election, and will require a second vote to determine winners.

Southeast District

Mike Crane

Mike Crane is a managing member at Crane and Fowler Investments and a longtime civic volunteer who has previously served on the Sioux Falls School Board, the city Parks Board and other community organizations. At 76, he is campaigning on a message of public service and community responsibility, saying his decision to run is rooted in a lifelong belief in giving back to the place where he lives and works.

Brady Kerkman

Brady Kerkman, 53, has more than three decades of experience working in nonprofit organizations, government entities and private business leadership roles. He says his decision to run was inspired in part by his teenage son, who recently spoke before the City Council on a data center zoning issue. Kerkman says he is running “for the future of tomorrow,” with a focus on long-term planning and civic engagement.

Sara Pankonin

Sara Pankonin is a 42-year-old civil engineer who has lived in Sioux Falls for 18 years. A mother of four, she says her interest in city government has grown as she has raised her family in the community and paid closer attention to local decision-making. Pankonin says she is motivated by curiosity and a desire to serve, and has been meeting with residents in southeast Sioux Falls as part of her campaign.

CENTRAL DISTRICT

Zach DeBoer

An artist and educator, DeBoer previously served on the Visual Arts Commission and Historic Preservation Board and has been active in neighborhood associations. He previously ran narrowly for this same seat in 2018. He focuses on community development, arts, and long-term quality-of-life planning.

Tommy Kunz

A delivery driver for apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats, Kunz is a first-time candidate. He says he entered the race out of concerns about transparency and public input on issues like data centers and police surveillance technology.

Matthew McKinley

A candidate who has filed campaign paperwork but has not publicly detailed his professional background or policy platform in interviews or coverage. His candidacy is listed as active in the Central District race.

Zak Okuwe

A registered nurse at Sanford Health and founder of the nonprofit STEM the Gap, Okuwe works to support underserved students in STEM education. A former refugee, he frames his campaign around service, opportunity and community investment.

Bob Trzynka

An attorney at Halbach Szwarc Law Firm, Trzynka has worked in commercial, estate, personal injury and zoning law. He has also been active in neighborhood projects, including traffic calming and redevelopment efforts, and emphasizes practical governance and city services.

At-Large A (citywide)

Vince Danh

An entrepreneur and owner of a video and photography production company, Danh is also involved in Downtown Sioux Falls Inc. His campaign focuses on responsible growth, civic engagement and opportunity creation.

James Oppenheimer

CEO of the Sioux Falls Family YMCA and former leader of the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society and Dakota Alliance Soccer Club, Oppenheimer is a nonprofit executive. He emphasizes public safety, infrastructure investment and balanced growth.

Juliann Perrigo Talkington

An engineer and investor, Talkington brings a technical and business background. She has not conducted a full in-person interview cycle but says she is focused on navigating complex city challenges with a data-informed approach.

At-Large B (citywide)

Rich Merkouris

A pastor and current Sioux Falls City Council member, Merkouris is seeking re-election. He cites experience in city governance and collaboration with a new mayoral administration as key reasons for running again.

Samantha Scarlata

An advocate and organizer who helped launch the East River Tenants Union, Scarlata works on housing and tenant issues. Her campaign focuses on housing affordability, community advocacy and representing working-class residents.

MINNEHAHA COUNTY AUDITOR - GOP PRIMARY

Leah Anderson

Leah Anderson is the incumbent Minnehaha County auditor, serving since 2023 as the county’s chief elections administrator. She oversees elections, vote tabulation, financial functions and reporting for South Dakota’s largest county.

Anderson is running on themes of election integrity, accountability and administrative consistency. She has advocated for changes to state election law, including post-election audits and standardized voting procedures such as strict black-ink ballot requirements.

Samuel McCarty

Sam McCarty, a Hartford resident, is challenging Anderson for the Republican nomination. He enters the race as a newcomer to countywide elected office.

McCarty has centered his campaign on restoring public confidence in elections. His message focuses on transparency, trust in vote administration and increased public faith in county election systems.

MINNEHAHA SHERIFF - GOP PRIMARY

Josh Phillips

Josh Phillips is a longtime law-enforcement officer and current captain with the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office. He enters the race with years of departmental leadership experience and the endorsement of outgoing Sheriff Mike Milstead.

Phillips is running as the continuity candidate in the race to replace Milstead after nearly three decades of leadership.

Bobby Smith

Bobby Smith touts himself as a law-enforcement veteran running as an outsider candidate in the sheriff’s race. He worked as a parking cop in larger-city police agencies.

Smith’s campaign focuses on bringing a fresh approach to the sheriff’s office. He has highlighted county jail operations, public safety and leadership philosophy as key themes, positioning himself as an experienced public-safety professional offering a different management style from the current administration.

County Commission (At-Large) -
GOP PRIMARY

Terms are up for Commissioners Jen Bleyenberg and Gerald Beninga. Beninga has opted not to seek another term, while Bleyenberg is pursuing a second term. With her candidacy, there are six Republicans gunning for the two nominition spots up for grabs Tuesday.

Jen Bleyenberg

Jen Bleyenberg, of Hartford, is the lone incumbent seeking re-election among this year’s commission field. She has served on the Minnehaha County Commission since 2023 and works on the financial aid team at the University of Sioux Falls. Previously, she served as treasurer for Wall Lake Township.

Bleyenberg’s campaign emphasizes fiscal responsibility, transparency and public safety. She has highlighted collaborative leadership, support for county services and responsible budgeting while managing growth in South Dakota’s most populous county.

Rick Bonander

Rick Bonander, a Valley Springs resident, serves in elected roles on the Minnehaha Conservation District and East River Water Development District and has been active in land-use and local-control debates.

Bonander is running on fiscal responsibility, infrastructure planning, public safety and transparent government. His campaign emphasizes balancing growth with property rights, strengthening county services and maintaining open communication with residents.

Brent R. Hoffman

Brent Hoffman is a retired military officer, former South Dakota state senator, former school board and city council member and longtime conservative activist. A 9/11 Pentagon survivor, he lives near Hartford and has an extensive record of civic and volunteer service.

Hoffman’s campaign stresses limited government, tax restraint, conservative governance and accountability. He has called for restrained county spending, term limits and stronger taxpayer protections while promoting traditional conservative priorities.

Penny BayBridge

Penny BayBridge is a Sioux Falls resident and community activist who has regularly participated in local government meetings and public comment sessions on county and civic issues. She has built her campaign around citizen engagement and concerns about government oversight and public accountability.

BayBridge’s campaign emphasizes transparency, citizen involvement and closer scrutiny of government decision-making. She has highlighted public access to information, technology concerns and accountability within local government operations as key themes.

Matthew J. Nelson

Matt Nelson is a Minnehaha County native, Army veteran, small business owner and public-sector manager. In his professional role with the City of Sioux Falls, he oversees utility billing and public parking operations, bringing experience managing personnel, budgets and public services.

Nelson is running on a platform centered on fiscal responsibility, transparency and sustainable growth.

Larry Luetke

Luetke is a former member of the Sioux Falls Planning Commission and a longtime participant in land-use, zoning and development discussions involving the Sioux Falls region and Minnehaha County. His background includes direct involvement with planning and growth-related public policy.

He touts his experience in planning and development matters as Minnehaha County continues to grow. His candidacy emphasizes thoughtful land-use policy, infrastructure planning and responsible governance.

REGISTER OF DEEDS - GOP PRIMARY

David Roetman

Roetman, of Sioux Falls, is a former executive director of the North Dakota Republican Party and political organizer with prior involvement in conservative activism.

He’s is seeking to lead the county office responsible for land records, filings, vital records and public document management.

Riley Karsky

Karsky, a Sioux Falls Republican, is competing for the open Register of Deeds position following the departure of the current officeholder.

Karsky is seeking oversight of the county’s records office, which manages real estate filings, marriage licenses, birth and death records and related public documents. The race will determine who leads one of the county’s key administrative and revenue-generating departments.

LINCOLN COUNTY COMMISSION - GOP PRIMARY

The Lincoln County Commission is sure to see some turnover next year as long-time commissioner Jim Schmidt will not seek re-election to the Fifth District seat he’s held for decades.

Amy Harms (District 3)

Harms is a marketing manager, longtime Lincoln County resident and chairwoman of the Lincoln County Republican Party. A Sioux Falls native, she has lived in Lincoln County for more than two decades and became politically active during the COVID-19 pandemic, later serving as a precinct committeewoman and party leader.

Harms is running as a challenger focused on government accountability, taxpayer oversight and greater public participation in county government.

Tiffani Landeen (District 3)

Landeen is the incumbent chairwoman of the Lincoln County Commission and a Sioux Falls attorney specializing largely in family law. She has served on the commission since 2018 and previously served two terms as Turner County State’s Attorney. Her background includes county government advising, public safety work and involvement with statewide county organizations.

Landeen’s campaign centers on managing Lincoln County’s rapid growth through long-term planning, responsible budgeting and support for public safety. She points to projects including the Lincoln County Justice Center and the Interstate 29–85th Street interchange as examples of her leadership.

Joni Ekstrum (District 5)

Ekstrum is executive director of South Dakota Biotech and a longtime Lincoln County resident with professional experience connecting higher education, industry and workforce initiatives. She has worked on past gubernatorial campaigns and serves on community boards, including the Boys & Girls Club of the Sioux Empire.

Ekstrum is running for the open District 5 seat with a focus on smart growth, data-driven planning and fiscal conservatism. She emphasizes collaborative decision-making, strategic budgeting and transparency in county finances.

Mike Mathis (District 5)

Mathis is a trust examiner with the South Dakota Department of Revenue, longtime Sioux Falls resident and grassroots conservative activist. He became politically involved in 2020 through the Patriot Ripple Effect organization and the Lincoln County Republican Party. He previously ran for the commission in 2022 and serves as a precinct committeeman.

Mathis is campaigning on transparency, communication and affordability. He has criticized aspects of recent commission decision-making, particularly spending decisions and the handling of the county veterans memorial debate.

SIOUX FALLS SCHOOL BOARD -
NON-PARTISAN

With three of five seats on the ballot, Sioux Falls voters will decide whether South Dakota’s largest school district stays its current course or charts a different direction.

Six candidates are competing for three seats on the Sioux Falls School Board, which oversees roughly 24,000 students, a budget topping $300 million and one of the city’s largest workforces. The race pits incumbent board members defending the district’s current trajectory against challengers pressing for changes on spending, property taxes, curriculum and governance.

Issues ranging from school funding and teacher retention to student behavior, workforce readiness and public trust in education are shaping the contest ahead of Election Day.

Jean Childs

A retired teacher and former California educator, Childs spent 16 years teaching, including 14 years helping incarcerated adults earn GEDs through the prison system. She’s running on a platform centered on fiscal restraint, academic fundamentals and literacy, calling for tighter control of the district budget, opposition to future property tax opt-outs and a renewed focus on reading, writing, arithmetic, cursive and constitutional history.

Dawn Marie Johnson

Johnson, an independent contractor serving nonprofits in social work, is seeking a second term on the Sioux Falls School Board. A parent with children currently enrolled in district schools, she campaigns on maintaining small class sizes, strengthening literacy outcomes and supporting teachers and students amid growing behavioral and special education needs. Johnson also emphasizes continued collaboration with lawmakers and investment in workforce readiness programs.

Marc Murren

A retired teacher and coach who spent more than 40 years working in the Sioux Falls School District, Murren is seeking re-election to continue what he describes as the district’s “good work.” A current board member, he focuses on protecting classroom resources, supporting teachers, preserving workforce and dual-credit programming and advocating for stronger state investment in public education.

Michael Stangeland Jr.

Stangeland, a caregiver, retail worker, writer and Republican precinct committeeman, entered the race following debates surrounding school district property tax opt-outs. His campaign stresses budget accountability, opposition to future opt-outs and greater scrutiny of district spending through practices such as zero-based budgeting. He also advocates stronger communication with taxpayers and broader discussion about curriculum and student preparedness.

Gail Swenson

Swenson, a longtime educator, former administrator and former superintendent, is seeking another term on the board after a career spent largely in public education, including decades in the Sioux Falls School District. Her campaign centers on navigating financial challenges while preserving student programming, supporting staff recruitment and retention, and maintaining the district’s broad array of academic, arts and career education offerings.

Stuart Willett

A retired teacher and repeat school board candidate, Willett is running on concerns surrounding school finances, accountability and the impact of artificial intelligence in education. He opposes future property tax opt-outs, calls for greater spending oversight and emphasizes classroom discipline, teacher mentorship and expanded career and technical education opportunities for students.

HARRISBURG SCHOOL BOARD -
NON-PARTISAN

Three candidates are vying for two open seats on the Harrisburg School Board, which oversees one of South Dakota’s fastest-growing and third-largest school districts.

Mike Knudson

Mike Knudson, 46, is a commercial real estate broker who has served on the Harrisburg School Board since 2014. He is seeking re-election, citing continuity and stability in a district that has experienced rapid enrollment growth. Knudson said his long tenure and family ties to the district—including a wife who worked in Harrisburg schools for 14 years and two children who have attended district schools—give him a deep connection to local education.

Jordan Twedt

Jordan Twedt, 29, is a structural engineer who entered the race after volunteering with Junior Achievement and becoming involved with the Harrisburg Education Foundation. He said his decision to run was also influenced by his growing family, including a daughter who will enter kindergarten in the fall. Twedt said he hopes to bring an analytical, planning-focused approach to managing the district’s continued growth and facilities needs.

Tara Young

Tara Young, 45, is a marketing professional and longtime district volunteer who has been active in Harrisburg schools as a parent of four children. She has served for a decade with elementary PTO groups and the middle school PAWS organization, and also participates in the Tiger Nation booster club. Young said her involvement in the district and her experience as a parent motivated her to seek a role in shaping its future.

South Dakota Republicans are just one day away from casting ballots in a crowded and closely watched gubernatorial primary that will determine who advances to November’s general election.

The June 2 vote caps a monthslong GOP contest featuring Gov. Larry Rhoden, U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, state House Speaker Jon Hansen and businessman Toby Doeden. Candidates have spent the final days making their closing arguments as polling has shown a volatile and competitive race with no clear front-runner.

A candidate must secure at least 35 percent of the vote to win the nomination outright. If no one reaches that threshold, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff election scheduled for July 28.

The winner – whether he emerges this week or next month – will face Democratic nominee Dan Ahlers, a former state lawmaker from Dell Rapids.

Here’s a look at how we got to South Dakota’s historic 2026 GOP primary contest. And be sure to hear interviews with the four Republican candidates on The Scout’s Scouting Lounge podcast.

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A candidate in the South Dakota GOP gubernatorial primary is guaranteeing victory when all the votes cast in next Tuesday’s election are counted. But Toby Doeden didn’t only predict he’d win the Republican nomination for governor over an incumbent governor, a four-term congressman and the state House speaker during an interview with The Dakota Scout.

The Aberdeen businessman also says there’s no chance a runoff will be needed to decide the race.

“Oh, 100 percent. Absolutely. No question,” Doeden said when asked on the newspaper’s Scouting Lounge podcast if he’d capture at least 35 percent of the votes — the minimum threshold necessary for him or his intra-party rivals in the race — U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, Gov. Larry Rhoden and House Speaker Jon Hansen — to earn nomination to the general election ballot.

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A Lower Brule lawmaker will not resign after tax records revealed her primary residency is outside of the South Dakota legislative district she represents in the state Senate.

Instead, Sen. Tamara Grove told The Dakota Scout that she has begun the process of rectifying discrepancies between property tax designations on a home she owns in Sioux Falls that have sparked uncertainty about her eligibility to serve as a District 26 legislator and prompted calls for her resignation.

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South Dakota’s lone Republican candidate for state auditor is suspending his campaign after a Stage IV cancer diagnosis — but the race for the GOP nomination will continue through his wife.

Sioux Falls City Councilor David Barranco announced Friday in an op-ed published in The Dakota Scout that he is stepping away from the campaign for state auditor. However, Catherine Barranco — a Republican organizer and conservative activist — will seek the GOP nomination for the constitutional office at next month’s South Dakota Republican Party convention in Rapid City in his place.

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A Sioux Falls city councilor with ambitions to serve at the state Capitol has cancer.

Councilor David Barranco disclosed the diagnosis in a statement provided to The Dakota Scout Monday.

“I have undergone another battery of tests, and the results are beyond dispute: I have cancer,” the 53-year-old attorney-turned-elected official said, opening up about a monthslong health battle that recently worsened.

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The 46th commander in chief of the United States will visit South Dakota next month.

The South Dakota Democratic Party announced Saturday that former President Joe Biden will be the keynote speaker for its annual McGovern Day Dinner on Friday, June 5, in Sioux Falls.

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Don’t expect the front-runner in South Dakota’s 2026 governor’s race to announce a lieutenant governor pick before next month’s GOP primary election.

U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson has no intention of unveiling a running mate unless he first secures the Republican gubernatorial nomination on June 2, the four-term congressman told The Dakota Scout this week.

“Name me a successful presidential or gubernatorial candidate in history, modern history, who announced the running mate before the primary,” Johnson said while recording an interview with The Scout’s Joe Sneve and Jonathan Ellis that will publish Friday as part of this week’s Scouting Lounge podcast episode.

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