South Dakota
Key 2024 election takeaways: Trump sets tone for South Dakota Republican rout
The Republican rampage that propelled Donald Trump to the White House with majorities in the U.S. Senate and possibly the U.S. House of Representatives was felt strongly in conservative South Dakota.
Not just in candidate races, where GOP establishment favorites Rep. Dusty Johnson and Kristie Fiegen easily won re-election to Congress and South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, respectively.
But also on ballot measures, where progressive priorities such as abortion rights, grocery tax repeal and legalized recreational marijuana all went down to defeat, as did open primaries and even an attempt to get rid of male-only references in the state constitution, which fell prey to the uproar over pronouns.
The only winning ballot initiative efforts involved the core conservative principle of work requirements for Medicaid expansion and the populist rancor over carbon pipelines, which led to Referred Law 21 going down in flames.
In state legislative races, delayed in some cases by the glacial pace of vote counting in Minnehaha County, South Dakota Republicans increased their super majority to 32-3 in the Senate and 64-6 in the House, setting up intraparty battles for leadership between establishment and populist factions.
Johnson, taking the stage at the Holiday Inn City Centre in Sioux Falls after being lauded by U.S. Sen. John Thune and Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken, talked about fighting back against inflation, illegal immigration, crime and government spending under a Trump administration and possible Republican trifecta.
“I’m here to tell you that’s not easy work, but it’s going to get a whole lot easier to get done after what we’ve seen tonight,” Johnson said to cheers from the party faithful on a night that seemed like an endless stream of positive news for the GOP and soul-searching for everyone else.
Here are a few other main takeaways from South Dakota’s 2024 election.
Trump ended up with 65% of the statewide vote in South Dakota, a slight improvement of his 62% showings in 2016 and 2020.
The general perception was that the former president’s resounding triumph nationally set the stage for what happened in South Dakota, from ballot amendments tanking to Republicans securing convincing legislative wins in vulnerable districts.
Inflation and the rising cost of living during the Biden Administration were big factors that led Monte Sandal of New Underwood to vote for Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris. Sandal, 55, owns a restaurant in New Underwood and a hot-tub servicing business in the Black Hills and has about 25 employees overall.
Sandal said inflation has made it difficult to afford food products at his restaurant and the chemicals needed to service about 600 hot tubs he has under contract.
“This election will dictate if my prices will increase because I’ve been eating a lot of costs the past few years,” he said.
Sandal said Trump’s demeanor has given him some pause but that, overall, he wants a business-focused president in the White House.
“I don’t know if I’d want to sit down and have a beer with the guy,” he said. “But you can’t argue with his policies because he’s a businessman and I like a business way of thinking.”
One of the main questions entering the election was whether South Dakota Democrats could improve their strikingly low representation in Pierre, where Republicans outnumbered the junior party 94-11 the past two years, including 63-7 in the House and 31-4 in the Senate.
The short answer is no.
Republicans actually gained a Senate seat to make it 32-3, with Tamara Grove knocking off Democratic incumbent Shawn Bordeaux in District 26, which includes the Rosebud Indian Reservation and the West River I-90 corridor of Chamberlain, Presho and Murdo.
Former gubernatorial candidate Jamie Smith won District 15 in north-central Sioux Falls, holding the seat previously held by fellow Democrat Reynold Nesiba.
But other Democratic Senate hopefuls in Sioux Falls such as Clay Hoffman (District 12) and Sandra Henry (District 14) fell short. So did Sarah Carda, the Yankton School Board president who was seen as a strong candidate against Republican Lauren Nelson in District 18, which includes Yankton and Clay counties.
Nelson, who ran to Jean Hunhoff’s right in the primary on a platform of limited government, property rights and Second Amendment protections, rode the Republican wave on Tuesday night to a comfortable victory with 57% of the vote.
Republicans also picked up a seat in the House to increase their advantage to 64-6, a low-water mark for the Democrats over the past two decades.
In District 26A, Republicans prevailed as populist Jana Hunt handily defeated Democrat Carl Peterson to take the seat formerly held by House Minority Leader Oren Lesmeister, who was term-limited.
Also, Kameron Nelson of Sioux Falls was ousted in District 10, where fellow Democratic incumbent Erin Healy (38%) and Republican Bobbi Andera (32%) finished ahead of Nelson (30%) in a tight race.
Democrats gained a seat in District 32 (Rapid City), where Nicole Uhre-Balk joined Republican Steve Duffy as the two top vote-getters.
All eyes now turn to Pierre, where intraparty GOP battles for leadership positions will heavily influence the Legislature’s policy-making machinery in 2025 and 2026.
Can a surge among populist candidates on the Republican right, animated by the carbon pipeline issue, lead to changes in caucus leadership, threatening the ability of the party’s pro-business establishment to craft and control policy?
Right now it’s too close to call in the Senate and leaning establishment in the House, but an influx of new members makes it tough to assess.
The votes are scheduled for Friday night, so the suspense won’t last long.
There was a marked difference in mood between the election night gatherings for anti-abortion Life Defense Fund and progressive petition group Dakotans for Health, which sponsored Amendment H to enshrine abortion rights in the South Dakota Constitution.
At the Best Western Ramkota in Sioux Falls, Republican state legislator Jon Hansen and longtime anti-abortion advocate Leslee Unruh flew their “No on G” banner proudly as results showed the amendment barely getting 40% of the statewide vote.
Hansen hoisted a glass of wine in the hotel corridor as Unruh spoke to News Watch about the momentum of the anti-abortion movement, which was reflected in out-of-state donations, ground-level organization and poll swings leading up to the election.
“I feel that there are too many people who are triggered by this conversation,” said Unruh, who noted her decades of work at the Alpha Center, a Sioux Falls pregnancy resource center. “My hotline is going to be busy with women who are hurting because they feel (animosity) from both sides, and we can’t do that. We have to meet people where they’re at.”
Though the campaign ran radio commercials conceding that South Dakota’s restrictive abortion law “may need to be changed” in the Legislature, Unruh didn’t offer any specifics changes that she would support.
Across town at the downtown ICON Lounge, Dakotans for Health founder Rick Weiland huddled with family and friends around 11 p.m., long after most attendees departed after seeing the handwriting on the wall for Amendment G and also Initiated Measure 28, the group’s ill-fated grocery tax repeal measure.
Abortion rights measures in other states were immune to the Trumpian wave, with successful efforts in states that the former president won, such as Arizona, Missouri, Nevada and Montana.
That suggests there was more at play than just ideology and vibes in South Dakota, where voters rejected near-total abortion bans by statewide vote in 2006 and 2008.
The fact that Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union declined to get behind Amendment G early in the process complicated efforts to raise money nationally and build an effective coalition of political and legal stakeholders.
Dakotans for Health and its volunteers found themselves on an island, outraised by a margin of 4-to-1 as the anti-abortion factions launched a robust and effective ad campaign calling the measure “too extreme.”
“We didn’t have any money to push back when they were pushing hard,” Weiland told News Watch as a few stragglers watched election coverage on a big screen. “You can do a lot of damage with 3 million bucks if you keep throwing out messages of disinformation to scare people. It’s almost like their campaign has made lying fashionable or something.”
Unruh and Hansen wouldn’t commit to whether a scheduled trial in Minnehaha County challenging Dakotans for Health’s petition efforts would proceed starting in late January. One of the requests of the lawsuit was to prohibit Dakotans for Health “and those who worked with or for it” from being involved in petition or ballot measure campaigns for a period of four years.
“There’s a lot wrong with the way these ballot initiatives are done,” said Unruh. “My name’s on (the lawsuit) and I would personally like it to go forward, but there are other people involved, so we’ll just have to see.”
This story was produced by South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit news organization. Read more in-depth stories at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email every few days to get stories as soon as they’re published. Contact Stu Whitney at at stu.whitney@sdnewswatch.org.
The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 20, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from April 20 drawing
09-17-36-47-64, Powerball: 26, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from April 20 drawing
05-07-31-41-43, Star Ball: 07, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 20 drawing
19-37-40-41-53, Bonus: 02
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
- Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
- Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.
When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Editor’s note: If you cite the results of this poll, credit South Dakota News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy, per copyright law and our republishing policy.
PIERRE, S.D. – With seven weeks until the June 2 primary, U.S. House Rep. Dusty Johnson is close to avoiding a runoff in the race to secure the GOP nomination for governor, according to a new poll sponsored by South Dakota News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy at the University of South Dakota.
In the contests for U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, state Attorney General Marty Jackley and U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds have solid leads over their challengers.
The scientific survey of 500 registered Republicans, conducted April 7-11 by Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy, found Johnson leading the four-way contest for governor with 34% of likely GOP primary voters supporting his candidacy.
The other three candidates are effectively tied for second due to the margin of error being plus-or-minus 4.5%. State House Speaker Jon Hansen, of Dell Rapids, has 18% support from GOP voters, and Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden and Gov. Larry Rhoden both have 17%. Roughly 14% of those surveyed were undecided.
South Dakota Election Voter Guide
Everything South Dakota voters need to know about statewide contests in the primary and general elections.
If no candidate receives at least 35% of the vote on the June 2 ballot, a runoff between the top two finishers will take place July 28. The winner of the contest will meet Democrat Dan Ahlers in the Nov. 3 general election.
Rhoden’s support drops; Hansen surges
While Johnson, who grew up in Pierre and lives in Mitchell, saw a 6-point increase from the News Watch/Chiesman poll conducted last October, Rhoden’s support fell 10 points.
Julia Hellwege, director of the Chiesman Center and USD associate professor in political science, said Rhoden’s association with his predecessor, former Gov. Kristi Noem, could be behind the drop in poll numbers.
“He has aligned himself closely with Noem. They worked closely together, and he continues to champion her and stand by her,” she said. “There’s a potential that has been a side effect.”
Rhoden served as lieutenant governor under Noem and became governor in January 2025 when President Donald Trump made her secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. He fired her last month after severe criticism.
Hellwege pointed out the poll found that Johnson even leads in West River, a stronghold for Rhoden, who is from Union Center east of Sturgis.
She said one candidate more than any other has been the main beneficiary of the declining support for the sitting governor.
“Anyone shifting from Rhoden is more likely to shift towards Hansen,” Hellwege said, noting that Hansen is a state lawmaker, like Rhoden was, who plays up his conservative Christian credentials.
Hellwege said in comparing the new poll results with those from last year, a certain pattern can be seen. That includes the surge in support for Hansen and Johnson, a decline in support for Rhoden, a stable level of support for Doeden and a lower number of undecided voters.
“My interpretation is many Rhoden voters in the last poll shifted to Hansen voters and the undecideds went to Johnson,” Hellwege said.
SD governor: Johnson in driver’s seat
Hellwege highlighted the extent to which the math favors Johnson.
“Even if all the undecided voters go to one of those second-place candidates, plus if you factor in the margin of error, they still would barely reach where Johnson is sitting right now,” Hellwege said.
Brad Coker, founder of Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy, ranked as one of the least-biased and most-factual pollsters, also believes Johnson is in a comfortable position.
“Johnson is moving into the clear front-runner status,” he said.
“People know him. People like him, and that’s probably why he’s ahead right now. Whether he can hold on to that will depend on what the other campaigns – particularly Hansen’s – are able to do in the coming weeks,” Coker told News Watch, pointing to the poll results that found Johnson has a 47% favorability rating, the highest of any of the candidates.
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Coker said Hansen has the best chance to challenge Johnson not only because his candidacy has seen the biggest increase in support but also due to not many people knowing him – yet.
“Hansen’s name recognition is only 73%. He’s still got 27% of the voters who don’t know who he is, which I think gives him a much higher ceiling than Doeden and Rhoden,” Coker said. “That tells me Hansen is getting some traction.”
On the flip side, Doeden’s 35% unfavorable rating and high name recognition indicate his support has mostly peaked, Coker said.
“He has a higher negative rating than positive rating, which tells me he’s got a core group behind him, but his growth potential is far more limited, especially since he has 89% name recognition,” Coker said.
The poll was conducted after the four candidates met in the March 31 KELO-TV debate but before the April 13 SDPB and South Dakota News Watch forum.
US House: Jackley has comfortable lead
Since Johnson ran for governor, that opened up South Dakota’s only seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
In that contest, Jackley – who is from Sturgis and previously served as U.S. attorney for the District of South Dakota – has a comfortable lead toward securing the GOP nomination.
According to the poll, he has 68% support from South Dakota Republican voters surveyed, well ahead of challenger James Bialota Jr., who has 12%, with 20% of respondents undecided.
“This primary is definitely in Jackley’s favor, even if all the undecideds move to Bialota,” Hellwege said.
The winner will face Democrat Nicole “Nikki” Gronli in the November general election.
US Senate: Incumbent Rounds ahead by large margin
Rounds – who’s from Pierre and was South Dakota’s governor from 2003 to 2011 – also enjoys a sizable lead over his challenger.
He received 66% support from GOP voters surveyed, compared to 18% for challenger Justin McNeal, with 16% of respondents undecided.
“The fact that McNeal, who is vastly outspent by Rounds, is able to get up to 18% is commendable. But at the same time, I don’t think there’s any expectation that Rounds will not be able to hold on to that seat,” Hellwege said.
The winner will take on Democrat Julian Beaudion in November.
Favorability poll results for all governor, House and Senate candidates
The News Watch/Chiesman poll also asked Republicans their opinions of the candidates. To see results for each person, click the arrow below and the tab for each section: overall, by gender, age and region where they’re from.
Coming Tuesday
Tuesday’s story will focus on South Dakota News Watch/Chiesman Center for Democracy poll results on the job performance rating South Dakotans give Gov. Larry Rhoden, Sen. John Thune and other elected officials. The story also includes voter thoughts on Noem’s time as DHS secretary and President Trump’s decision to fire her.
South Dakota News Watch is an independent nonprofit. Read, donate and subscribe for free at sdnewswatch.org. Contact politics and statehouse reporter Alexander Rifaat: 605-736-4396/alexander.rifaat@sdnewswatch.org.
South Dakota
FCS Football Recruiting Roundup: South Dakota, Montana State Target 2027 Defensive Standouts
Welcome to another edition of the FCS Football Central Recruiting Roundup.
As spring practice winds down, recruits are still continuing to get on campus to visit schools and meet with their coaching staff. I caught up with some of the latest prospects who received an offer from an FCS program after their visit.
Amarie King | 2027 | DB | 5’7″ 140 lbs | Case High School | Racine, WI
King received his latest offer from South Dakota on April 17 after speaking with defensive coordinator Billy Kirch.
“Coach Kirch told me bout the offer, and that conversation went well. He told me a lot about the school, and asked me what my family and parents do. He said that my film was amazing and that he wanted to offer me,” King said.
“My recruitment is going well, although it is a little stressful here and there, but I am really just being patient and trusting the process, and keep working.”
He has visits to South Dakota and Drake coming up. Last season, he finished with 44 tackles, eight pass breakups, and six interceptions for the Eagles.
After a great conversation with coach kirch I’m blessed to I’ve received my first division 1 offer from @SDCoyotesFB @AntonGraham_ @MJ_NFLDraft @CoachBKirch @joshmanchigiah pic.twitter.com/jaxIYac67A
— Amarie King (@Amarieking27) April 17, 2026
Jayden Harris | 2027 | ATH | 6’2″ 170 lbs | Manteca High School | Manteca, CA
Harris picked up his latest offer from Montana State on Friday when he was in Bozeman for the Bobcats’ Junior Day, and meeting with cornerbacks coach Jordan Lee, defensive coordinator Bobby Daly, and head coach Brent Vigen.
“First, it was Coach Lee, then I had meetings with Coach Daly and Coach Vigen, who broke the news while we were talking. They want me to come in and play early. They like my versatility as a defensive back, and that’s why they offered me,” Harris said.
“The visit was cool! The snow was coming down, and the coaches still showed love. Recruiting is going well right now. Most schools that are in touch with me see something in me for sure, especially since I’m a zero-star athlete, so that’s love. I feel like I’m the best DB in California, and my measurements and production speak for themselves.”
He also has offers from Idaho, Washington State, and Sacramento State. He has upcoming visits to Arizona State and New Mexico.
Last season, he finished with 63 tackles, 11 pass breakups, nine interceptions, six tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and two pick-sixes for the Buffaloes.
Blessed to receive an offer from Montana State University 🐾 @ballcoachLee @CoachBobbyDaly @CoachSauve @CoachSmith59 @bvigen @BrandonHuffman @Rivals_Recruits @GregBiggins pic.twitter.com/ofYdjJKcmK
— Jay Harris (@JaydenOHarris) April 18, 2026
Maurice “MJ” Harrell | 2026 | DB | 6’1″ 170 lbs | Hutchinson CC | Hutchinson, KS
Harrell picked up his first Division I offer from Houston Christian on April 17 after he spoke with cornerbacks coach DeMarcus Coleman.
“Coach Coleman called and told me he liked what we saw from the videos I sent him, and that he wanted me to be a part of his program,” Harrell said.
Last season, he finished with 20 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack, and a fumble recovery for the Blue Dragons. Mercyhurst, Division II UTPB, and Missouri Southern are some other schools he has been in contact with.
Blessed To Receive my first d1 offer from Houstan Christian University pic.twitter.com/OBD9ITQZHS
— MauriceHarrell (@M_Harrell19) April 18, 2026
Jadhari Young | 2026 | WR | 6’1″ 200 lbs | De Anza College | Cupertino, CA
Young received his latest offer from Eastern Illinois on April 15 after speaking with wide receivers coach Tino Smith.
“Coach Smith called me, and we had a long and great conversation. He told me he believes in me and that he thinks I can be great under his coaching,” Young said. “My recruitment has been going great since I graduated two weeks ago. A lot of coaches have expressed a lot of interest in me.”
Young also has offers from Sacramento State, Prairie View A&M, and Chicago State. Last season, he hauled in receptions for 559 yards and seven touchdowns for the Mountain Lions. He was named a Golden Coast Conference First Team selection.
He will be taking his official visit to Eastern Illinois on April 24. Gardner-Webb, West Florida, Monmouth, Stony Brook, and UMass are some other schools he is hearing from.
Blessed to receive my 5th D1 offer from Eastern Illinois University — Dhari Young “DEBO” (@dharigogetit) April 15, 2026
Thank you Coach @coachtinosmith for believing in me💯 pic.twitter.com/yMZjnsfRvK
AJ Moore | 2027 | RB | 5’9″ 200 lbs | College of Dupage | Glen Ellyn, IL
Moore received his first Division I offer from Lindenwood on April 17 after speaking with running backs coach Lane Lawson.
“Coach Lawson called and offered me. He just told me he’d be really excited to have me over and thinks I could be a part of something special with the program they got going over there,” Moore said.
Last season, he finished with 81 carries for 518 yards and five touchdowns, while adding nine receptions for 73 yards and two touchdowns for the Chaparrals, who won their fifth consecutive NJCAA Division III national championship. Moore is working on scheduling his official visit to Lindenwood.
#AGTG After a great conversation with @CoachLawsonLU I am blessed to have my first division 1 offer from Lindenwood University @LindenwoodFB @Dupage_Football @JUCOFFrenzy @AllenTrieu @JordanWesty1 pic.twitter.com/DGLjZC4gIA
— AJ Moore (@ajmoore6_) April 17, 2026
Leshem Nyante | 2027 | OT | 6’5″ 265 lbs | Anna High School | Anna, TX
Nyante picked up his latest offer from Texas Rio Grande Valley on April 17 after he spoke with offensive line coach Jeff Bowen.
“Coach Bowen reached out this morning to officially extend the offer. It was a great talk, and he mentioned they really liked my film and how I would fit their system. So we are focused on building that relationship now,” Nyante said.
“I’m really grateful for how my recruiting process is unfolding so far. Things are definitely moving fast with spring ball right around the corner, and it’s been great seeing the increase in interest every week.”
He also has offers from Arkansas State, Division II Midwestern State, and East Central University. Old Dominion, Texas State, UTEP, and New Mexico are some other schools he is hearing from. Nyante will be taking an official visit to Arkansas State in June.
#AGTG After a great conversation with @CoachJeffBowen , I am blessed to receive a D1 offer from @UTRGVFootball !!@8_parr @Coach_Rigg @tylerdedwards33 @Sevier5 @jessedstew @AnnaCoyotesFB @CoachTBush @Perroni247 @SWiltfong_ @CKennedy247 pic.twitter.com/6o9H13baAb
— Leshem (Shem) Nyantee (@leshemnyantee10) April 17, 2026
Matthew Lashley | 2027 | DB | 6’1″ 198 lbs | Riverside City College | Riverside, CA
Lashley received his latest offer from East Texas A&M on April 15 after speaking with safeties coach Luke Jaicks.
“Coach Jaicks called and offered me. He’s a great coach, and I would love to play for him,” Lashley said. “My recruitment is going well; it’s starting to heat up after spring ball.”
He also has an offer from Southern Utah. Last season, he finished with 14 tackles and two interceptions for the Tigers.
Blessed to receive another D1 offer to @Lions_FB! @JacksonSimon25 @nilsonsports pic.twitter.com/X4iLU8VRID
— Matthew Lashley (@MatthewLashley_) April 15, 2026
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