U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota (left) is being challenged by independent candidate Brian Bengs in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. (Photos courtesy of U.S. Senate committee livestream and South Dakota Public Broadcasting)
With only days until Election Day, Mike Rounds finds himself in an unfamiliar position: facing a challenger whose independent candidacy has drawn attention in a state where Republicans have dominated statewide elections for decades.
Whether Brian Bengs’ assertions that he can unseat the Republican incumbent prove to be posturing or reflect a genuine opportunity for an upset will soon be clear.
Rounds, a longtime South Dakota statesman and former two-term governor now seeking a third term in the U.S. Senate, doesn’t appear overly concerned that his unbeaten record after decades in politics will be broken — although he said he is working hard to get his message to voters.
