Democrats find hope in Smith's narrow defeat in Sioux Falls mayoral race
His concession frustrates some in party, but leaders say four-vote margin in South Dakota's largest city shows potential for future races
Democrats are disappointed. But they’re also encouraged.
Jamie Smith’s four-vote loss in the Sioux Falls mayoral race was a painful reminder of how difficult it remains for Democrats to win major offices in South Dakota. But it also marked the closest a Democratic candidate has come to capturing the mayor’s office in nearly two decades — a sign party leaders say proves their candidates can still compete in the state’s largest city.
The mixed emotions were on display after Smith conceded the race this week, four weeks after finishing behind Mayor-elect Christine Erickson in the June 23 runoff. A recount expanded Erickson’s margin from two votes to four, but the narrow result also sparked frustration among some Democrats who wanted Smith to pursue a legal challenge over rejected absentee ballots.
