SD News Watch has an interesting story out today on what may be in store for the 2026 elections. But.. they’re leaving out 1/3 of the story as they have nothing on the man who will likely start off the race as the next Governor.
First off – on Dusty Johnson:
“Let’s never forget that this country was not built on anger and fear,” said the fourth-term congressman. “This country was built on courage and imagination and optimism and freedom.”
Powerful words from a 48-year-old Pierre native who is amassing funds and political support to take the next step in his career and run for South Dakota governor in 2026.
Johnson has high favorability and low unfavorability as does the other man likely to get into race:
The News Watch poll showed that 24% of respondents didn’t recognize his name, despite the fact that the former U.S. attorney has twice served as attorney general and ran for governor in 2018, losing in the Republican primary to Noem.
Jackley’s favorability was 42%, but 40% were neutral and just 13% unfavorable, meaning he has room to grow as the 2026 election cycle takes shape.
Jackley’s strident stances on border control, abortion bans and gun ownership could be a precursor to running to the right of Johnson in a gubernatorial primary, much like Noem did to Jackley in 2018.
The article cites a belief that Marty is going to tack to the right, although it remains to be seen that he’s running differently than he has in the past, as Marty certainly would not be considered liberal.
The Attorney General has been actively courting backers, and as I’ve been told, he’s spending time at Mar-a-lago in recent days likely talking to Team Trump to back his effort for Governor over that of Dusty Johnson. However, Dusty Johnson has a strong collaborative relationship with Governor Noem.
But with those factors in play, the story i already out of date at the time of publication as it doesn’t touch on the Larry Rhoden factor – which might be one of the most important considerations of all in the Dusty/Marty matchup. Larry obviously has the closest relationship of all with Governor Noem, at the same time he may be more in line with the further right voters than Marty.
If the poll was to be taken again in 6 months assuming the Noem appointment moves forward, who knows how this playing field looks?
Stay tuned. With the paint barely dry on the 2024 election, 2026 has already begun.
Final Explanation Released for Proposed 2026 Initiated Measure to Limit Property Tax Assessment Increases
PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has released the final ballot explanation for a proposed 2026 initiated measure that would limit annual property tax assessment increases for non-agricultural property. The ballot explanation can be found here.
Attorney General Jackley is not responsible for the language of the measure and takes no position on the proposal. State law requires the Attorney General draft a title and explanation for each initiated measure, initiated constitutional amendment, constitutional amendment proposed by the Legislature, or referred measure that may appear on an election ballot.
The proposed measure is sponsored by Joe Hurley of Sioux Falls. This proposed initiated measure would limit annual property tax assessment increases on all non-agricultural land to no more than 2.25 percent of a base amount. If the measure is approved by voters, the new limit would start with the 2027 assessment.
Attorney General Jackley’s explanation is meant to be an “objective, clear, and simple summary” intended to “educate the voters of the purpose and effect of the proposed” measure, as well as identify the “legal consequences” of each measure. Attorney General Jackley has provided a fair and neutral explanation of the initiated measure to help assist the voters.
The initiated measure would require 17,509 valid petition signatures to qualify for the 2026 general election ballot.
For more information regarding ballot measures, please visit the Secretary of State’s website.
With South Dakota’s political universe jumbled around like a giant handful of Yahtzee dice, the question now is who will Larry Rhoden go to to serve in the job he’s held himself for the past 6 years. Who will the incoming new Governor pick to serve as his Lt. Governor?
If Larry intends to run himself for the job – and I have heard he is already starting to make fundraising calls – he’s going to have to pick someone who can fill the bill. The would most likely be running with him in the next election in what will be a very crowded field led by Congressman Dusty Johnson who already has $6 million in the bank. Add to that list fellow Meade County scion and current Attorney General Marty Jackley. Throw someone from the hard right in there, such as incoming House Majority Leader Scott Odenbach. And we will have someone else who rolls the dice for the sake of rolling the dice.
Who can the new Governor pick that would set himself up to improve his competitiveness for June 2026 GOP primary? Who can he pick that would get through the House and the Senate in the selection process? Who can he pic that will bolster his Gubernatorial Street-cred? Or, who might be willing and capable of doing it, since they’re going to be thrown in the deep end without a net?
Here are suggestions of three who could serve some of those needs for the new Governor, and should be on his list of hopefuls:
Outgoing SDGOP Chair John Wiik – Wiik has served in both the House and the Senate alongside Rhoden, and has a decade of legislative experience to go alongside his time as the Republican Party Chairman. Wiik would know many of the players on the ground, and have a valuable rolodex that the new Governor could call on in raising funds and people in assembling a team to mount a campaign for statewide office. Yes, Larry knows many of the same people, but as the candidate his job would be different, and Wiik could put his skills in place to help wrangle the team. Politics aside, Wiik has long been a budget man, and that will be where many of the new Governor’s headaches would be as the COVID-funded land of plenty runs dry, and South Dakota needs to get back to normal revenue expectations.
State Auditor Rich Sattgast – Sattgast is the longest serving state official in Pierre right now, currently in the second term of his second run at State Auditor, having served across three Chief Executives now as auditor or treasurer. State Government is in upheaval at the moment as checks and balances of the executive branch are under fire with instances of employees being light-fingered in Revenue and DSS as those checks and balances have been eroded, sometimes in the name of efficiencies over the years. Sattgast is not unaware of this, as he has lamented as some budgetary functions have been assumed by others due to software functionality changes and updates over the years. He may be in an unique position to lead reforms, and to help restore more robust standards. Plus, Sattgast has been untouched by intra-party battles, and can flow between the factions at a time when others are being named to blacklists.
State Senator Erin Tobin – Erin would provide an interesting contrast to the current Lt. Governor as a medical professional, business owner, and sharing his background in Agriculture. Elections are about the future, and Tobin’s relative youth would provide a contrast to Rhoden, but still retain that strong relationship to our state’s ag industry. Conservative, smart and well spoken, even though she lost a close race in one of the craziest primaries we’ve ever seen, as opposed to making another run at the legislature sometimes the best path forward takes a quick jog sideways. Rhoden would do well to have Tobin serve as a surrogate as he hits the campaign trail.
Those are the three suggestions from me who the incoming Governor might pick – who would your choices be for our incoming Governor Larry Rhoden to pick as South Dakota’s next Lt. Governor?
**Update**
Aside from the idle speculation here and war-gaming it out in the comment section, I am hearing 2 names consistently from multiple sources – Tim Rave and Steve Westra are said to be two of the top contenders at the moment. Although there are some who say there should be a woman in the office, which if this is the case, helps out those who would like to see an Erin, a Taylor, a Sue, a Sydney or someone else be considered for the job as our State’s #2.
Tony Venhuizen has a post over at his website SoDak Governors this AM already detailing some interesting facts about the man who will become South Dakota’s next Governor upon Kristi Noem’s impending resignation due to her appointment as Secretary of Homeland Security under President Donald Trump:
Rhoden will serve a longer term than either Wollman or Miller. Wollman served for 161 days and Miller served for 1 year and 263 days. Rhoden will serve approximately two years, depending on when Governor Noem takes on her new role (the current gubernatorial term ends on January 9, 2027).
Neither Wollman nor Miller were elected to their own four-year term as governor; it remains to be seen if Governor Rhoden will seek reelection.
Our new First Lady will be Rhoden’s wife of 43 years, Sandy (Murphy) Rhoden, a native of Madison.
The Rhodens have four sons, Jesse, Cody, Reggie, and Tristen, and six grandchildren. South Dakota’s 1st first couple, Arthur and Margaret Mellette, also had four sons.
Both Larry and Sandy Rhoden are twins. Larry has a fraternal twin sister, while Sandy has an identical twin sister. As best I can tell, Rhoden is the first South Dakota governor to be a twin.
President-elect Donald Trump is expected to select South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to fill the role of Homeland Security secretary, a source confirms to Fox News Digital.
and..
The Department of Homeland Security oversees U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Keep watching, as this will initiate some earth-shaking changes in the already changed status quo for South Dakota state politics, not the lease of which would be elevating Larry Rhoden to the highest state office as our new Governor, as well as moving someone – a potential running mate, perhaps – to the office of Lt. Governor.
The Modern Republican Party and Our Mandate By Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) Fox News
President-elect Donald Trump’s historic victory was made possible by the broadest coalition of voters the Republican Party has seen in the modern era. On Election Day, our big tent expanded coast to coast and brought in patriotic Americans of all stripes. Many were initially turned away from a Democrat Party that increasingly ignores the concerns of hard-working Americans. But Trump’s leadership, and his agenda for American success, closed the deal.
As Congress returns to Washington, we must prepare the Senate to advance that agenda legislatively and ensure that the president-elect can hit the ground running with his appointees confirmed as soon as possible. The Senate Republican majority will work with President Trump to ensure the Senate calendar allows us to confirm his nominees and pass our shared agenda as quickly and as efficiently as possible.
We have a mandate to govern. With President Trump leading the ticket, Republicans did better than in 2020 in 48 states. We improved our margins in three out of every four counties in the United States and grew support with nearly every demographic group. President Trump won more Hispanic support than any Republican president ever before, and younger voters who have many elections ahead in their lifetimes were crucial to victory. As my colleague Florida Sen. Marco Rubio describes it, the party is now a “multi-ethnic, multi-racial coalition of hard-working Americans who love their country.” It’s a new day for the GOP – and that’s a very good thing.
We cannot afford to take this coalition for granted. If we fail to deliver on President Trump’s priorities, we will lose their support. They have trusted us with their votes. Now we have to roll up our sleeves and get to work.
At the top of the list is cleaning up the mess left by the Biden-Harris-Schumer agenda, which was clearly repudiated by the American people. The Republican Congress must ensure President Trump has the necessary tools and support to enforce border security laws and to remove the violent criminals wreaking havoc in every state. The Biden-Harris administration caused the border crisis. We will end it.
Next, to make America prosperous again, we must take a hatchet to the regulatory apparatus choking our economy, starting with the 1,000 Biden-Harris regulations that have already cost Americans nearly $2 trillion. Streamlining the bureaucratic machine is long overdue.
Just undoing the damage done by the Biden-Harris-Schumer Democrats is not enough. Americans have endured devastating price increases over the last four years. They have charged us to increase growth and improve take-home pay, which starts by preventing looming tax hikes. They have directed us to restore order to a volatile world through strength, with a military so powerful and mission-focused our adversaries won’t dare to challenge us. And they have given us the green light to restore American energy dominance.
We have an ambitious agenda, and it will take all of us – each and every Republican – working together with President Trump’s leadership to achieve it. If we don’t successfully execute on our mandate, we risk losing the coalition that swept Republicans into office up and down the ballot.
We will have disagreements along the way. When they arise, we must listen to each other and keep working toward serving the people who gave us this mandate. The Democrat Party will shun or cancel anyone who challenges liberal orthodoxy. This Republican Party listens to our voters and celebrates the marketplace of ideas.
If we listen to the voters who made it possible, last week’s red wave can lift our country to new heights.
According to multiple senators and aides, Thune and Cornyn, along with their allies, have been burning up the phones of members in search of support ahead of next week’s election to replace outgoing Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.).
and..
Thune was consistently on the road in support of Senate GOP candidates throughout October, appearing for all of those in competitive races — save for Kari Lake in Arizona — during the final month, according to a source familiar with the South Dakotan’s operation.
and..
“The way it’s playing out, it’s 100 percent Thune’s at this point. It’s just a formality. I don’t see how Cornyn gets there, and I don’t see how Rick Scott gets there. They’re both good guys, I just don’t see how they get there,” Mullin said. “This leadership election has been going on a long time. … Now, it’s a closing argument and making sure your vote stays where it’s at [and] following up.”
and..
Thune also has some structural advantages. At 63 years old, he is nearly a decade younger than the 72-year-old Cornyn. He also isn’t up for reelection until 2028, while Cornyn is up next cycle and could face a primary challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), with whom there is no love lost.
Attorney General Jackley Praises Court’s Decision To Block Biden “Parole in Place” Policy
PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley praises last week’s U.S. District Court’s ruling that permanently blocks a Biden Administration’s “parole in place” policy that would have provided citizenship for more than a million illegal aliens who have not satisfied the clear requirements set by Congress.
“The Court’s decision keeps in place existing immigration policy and stops the administration from exceeding its statutory authority,” said Attorney General Jackley. “Washington needs to secure the border for public safety and not continue to ignore this immigration issue and the rule of law.”
Attorney General Jackley was one of 16 Attorneys General who successfully filed suit in Texas federal court about the proposed policy. Aliens unlawfully present in the United States are prohibited from obtaining legal permanent resident status without first leaving the country and applying at an embassy or consulate in their home countries. The proposed Biden policy would have permitted 1.3 million aliens to apply for permanent residency without returning first to their home countries.
Other Attorneys General who signed onto the lawsuit were from the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, and Wyoming.
Ezra Hays is back this afternoon campaigning to run for State GOP Chair:
Today, GOP Chair wannabe Ezra Hays is again text blasting message recipients that he’s going to be following up with them to discuss “his plan to strengthen” the Republican party.
“In South Dakota the Republican Party is not strong enough to rein in politicians when it is needed, thats why I feel that we need a stronger party, to be able exact our values when needed.”
Basically, he wants to demand that candidates follow what he says blindly, or his version of the Republican party will “rein them in.” At the same time Chris Larson has issued his party purge list, his buddy Ezra Hayes joins him in wanting to be the GOP’s thought police as it’s new chair.
Telling candidates what they’re allowed to think, and purging the Republican Party of the rest?
Why does this not sound like the Republican party we’re used to? Or even the America?
Outgoing SDGOP Chair John Wiik – Wiik has served in both the House and the Senate alongside Rhoden, and has a decade of legislative experience to go alongside his time as the Republican Party Chairman. Wiik would know many of the players on the ground, and have a valuable rolodex that the new Governor could call on in raising funds and people in assembling a team to mount a campaign for statewide office. Yes, Larry knows many of the same people, but as the candidate his job would be different, and Wiik could put his skills in place to help wrangle the team. Politics aside, Wiik has long been a budget man, and that will be where many of the new Governor’s headaches would be as the COVID-funded land of plenty runs dry, and South Dakota needs to get back to normal revenue expectations.
State Auditor Rich Sattgast – Sattgast is the longest serving state official in Pierre right now, currently in the second term of his second run at State Auditor, having served across three Chief Executives now as auditor or treasurer. State Government is in upheaval at the moment as checks and balances of the executive branch are under fire with instances of employees being light-fingered in Revenue and DSS as those checks and balances have been eroded, sometimes in the name of efficiencies over the years. Sattgast is not unaware of this, as he has lamented as some budgetary functions have been assumed by others due to software functionality changes and updates over the years. He may be in an unique position to lead reforms, and to help restore more robust standards. Plus, Sattgast has been untouched by intra-party battles, and can flow between the factions at a time when others are being named to blacklists.
State Senator Erin Tobin – Erin would provide an interesting contrast to the current Lt. Governor as a medical professional, business owner, and sharing his background in Agriculture. Elections are about the future, and Tobin’s relative youth would provide a contrast to Rhoden, but still retain that strong relationship to our state’s ag industry. Conservative, smart and well spoken, even though she lost a close race in one of the craziest primaries we’ve ever seen, as opposed to making another run at the legislature sometimes the best path forward takes a quick jog sideways. Rhoden would do well to have Tobin serve as a surrogate as he hits the campaign trail.
