Doeden enters South Dakota governor’s race with anti-establishment assault
Aberdeen businessman becomes second Republican to announce 2026 GOP primary bid; Black Hills senator emerges as likely running mate
ABERDEEN — Republican businessman and political firebrand Toby Doeden kicked off his campaign for South Dakota governor Wednesday with a promise to shake up Pierre — vowing to reject a yearly salary of $140,000, forgo the use of state-owned airplanes and abolish property taxes.
Speaking to hundreds at the Wylie Park Amphitheater, Doeden leaned into his political outsider image and unveiled a populist platform rooted in spending reform and anti-establishment appeal. The 50-year-old conservative delivered a fiery speech, attacking political elites with messaging he also committed to taking on a statewide bus tour.
