AP Decision Notes: What to Expect in South Dakota’s State Primary Runoff
The winner will face Democrat Dan Ahlers in November after Doeden led the June 2 primary with about 31% and Rhoden followed with 25%.
- On Tuesday, July 28, 2026, South Dakota Republicans will vote in a primary runoff to choose between Governor Larry Rhoden and businessman Toby Doeden for their gubernatorial nominee.
- The runoff follows the June 2 primary election, where neither Rhoden nor Doeden reached the required 35% vote threshold to win the nomination outright, triggering South Dakota's first-ever gubernatorial runoff.
- A recent KELO poll shows 62% of likely voters support Rhoden over Doeden, who received 32%. Doeden has invested $4 million of his own money into his campaign.
- The winner will advance to the November 3 general election to face Democrat Dan Ahlers in a reliably Republican state that has not elected a Democratic governor since the 1970s.
- Polls close at 7 p.m. local time on Tuesday, with the Associated Press providing results as they are tallied throughout the evening to determine the party's nominee.
27 Articles
27 Articles
What to know about South Dakota's midterm primary runoff
South Dakota Republicans will decide in a primary runoff Tuesday whether to nominate Gov. Larry Rhoden for a full term or to instead tap businessman Toby Doeden to represent the party on the ballot in November.
South Dakota’s GOP governor faces businessman in primary runoff
See the latest results in South Dakota governor runoff between incumbent Larry Rhoden, who became governor after Kristi Noem became Homeland Security secretary, and political newcomer businessman Toby Doeden.
Doeden vs. Rhoden in historic election
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) -- Republican voters decide Tuesday who will represent the party in the November general election. Gov. Larry Rhoden and Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden are the two candidates in the runoff election. This is the first runoff in state history since the 35% requirement for the primary election was approved by the [...]
Kristi Noem sits out South Dakota GOP governor showdown
South Dakota Republicans will choose their nominee for governor Tuesday in the state’s first GOP runoff election. One figure has been conspicuously missing from the race: former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Noem’s once-dominant influence over the South Dakota GOP has been largely absent from the campaign after being ousted from President Donald Trump’s Cabinet. Incumbent Gov. Larry Rhoden (R-SD) faces a spirited challen…
Billionaire-funded national groups seek to influence voters in South Dakota runoff election
Some of the political postcards mailed to South Dakota voters in the week ahead of Tuesday’s runoff election for the Republican nomination for governor are financed by national groups that received all or most of their recent contributions from a…
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