South Dakota
Candidates for U.S. House pledge bipartisanship, clash on key issues • South Dakota Searchlight
SIOUX FALLS — Republican U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson and Democratic challenger Sheryl Johnson both vowed to work across the aisle during their first and only debate on Tuesday, but revealed sharp contrasts on key issues like climate change, abortion, and gun violence.
Sheryl Johnson is the first Democratic challenger to Rep. Johnson since 2018, when the Congressman beat former judge Tim Bjorkman and a Libertarian Party candidate to secure the state’s lone U.S. House seat.
The debate at the South Dakota Public Broadcasting studio in Sioux Falls saw both candidates emphasize their commitment to pragmatism and civil discourse.
Dusty Johnson, who has held South Dakota’s sole U.S. House seat since 2018, pointed to his record of negotiating bipartisan legislation, and recognition as a problem solver by organizations like the nonpartisan Center for Effective Lawmaking.
Sheryl Johnson, a first-time congressional candidate and former Republican, framed herself as a political outsider. She touted her background as a mother of four, a public school employee and the owner of an part time, at-home business. Her campaign slogan, “SD Mom for Congress,” underscores her critique of the political establishment, which she says is out of touch with the needs of ordinary South Dakotans.
“They’re all fed up with politicians that don’t listen to them,” she said of the those she’s met on the campaign trial.
The debate also revealed the candidates’ ideological differences.
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Dusty Johnson argued against sweeping mandates like the “Green New Deal.” The Green New Deal is a broad outline for revamping U.S. policy to focus on climate change by transitioning to renewable energy sources.
The Representative said Democratic climate policies have had a negative impact on the environment and national security by making the nation and its allies dependent on countries with less strict environmental regulations, like China and Russia.
Sheryl Johnson said “climate change is real,” and that she’s worried about the droughts and flooding that have increased in frequency in the Midwest as a result.
Even so, she is not comfortable with Summit’s proposed carbon capture pipeline, which she doesn’t see as a workable option to mitigate the impacts of climate change. The project aims to collect and store CO2 from 57 ethanol plants in South Dakota and other neighboring states, collecting federal clean energy tax incentives along the way.
On abortion, Dusty Johnson said the constitutional amendment South Dakota voters are considering this election cycle is not the answer because it allows no restrictions on abortion in the first trimester.
“Amendment G is extreme,” he said
Sheryl Johnson, however, described it as a reinstatement of Roe v. Wade, referencing the U.S. Supreme Court case that protecting abortion rights in 1972. The current Supreme Court overturned Roe two years ago in a case called Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health.
She called for the restoration of federal protections for reproductive rights, and said current laws in some states make it unclear if and when doctors can perform abortions to protect the life and safety of women.
The candidates also differed sharply on gun violence. Sheryl Johnson said she supports the Second Amendment, but said she’d like to see moderate gun safety measures like stricter background checks.
She said the U.S. is failing its children, and that it’s too easy to get a gun.
“Guns are not toys, and I think we glamorize them too much in today’s society,” she said.
Dusty Johnson emphasized the need to protect Second Amendment rights. He said the U.S. needs a comprehensive policy to address the mental health crisis he says has contributed to the epidemic of gun violence and suicides.
“President Biden signed a piece of gun control legislation,” he said. “Do any of us really think that has changed the trajectory of this violence?”
Both candidates talked about how their political experience or lack thereof would be an asset to South Dakotans. Dusty Johnson said his years in Congress have given him the skills to navigate Washington D.C.’s complexities and pass meaningful legislation. Sheryl Johnson argued that her outsider perspective makes her better equipped to address the concerns of everyday South Dakotans.
The founding fathers envisioned a citizen legislature in the U.S. House, she said, noting that she supports term limits for members of Congress.
“We need to send a fresh voice to Washington,” she said during closing remarks.
The candidates thanked one another for a cordial and respectful debate. Dusty Johnson said that in the current political climate, that kind of debate is not guaranteed.
“This could have devolved into a mess, like so many debates do, jagged insult hurling,” he said. “This could have been a Scandinavian night fight, Johnson versus Johnson, but we, I think, really gave South Dakotans the debate they deserved”
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(SOUTH DAKOTA SEARCHLIGHT) – Democrats are running for 46 of South Dakota’s 105 legislative seats — leaving 56% of seats without a Democratic candidate.
That doesn’t bode well for the party ahead of November, said Michael Card, professor emeritus of political science at the University of South Dakota.
“It doesn’t put them in a position to actually put forward their ideological policy preferences and have much of a success at getting those enacted,” Card said.
In the state Senate alone, Democrats have failed to field a candidate for 22 seats, which is nearly two-thirds of the chamber. In the House, Democrats have failed to field a candidate for 38 seats, which is 54% of the chamber.
There is only one Democratic legislative primary in the state: a state Senate race in District 26, which includes the Rosebud Reservation.
There are no statewide Democratic primaries, after announced candidates for governor and U.S. House dropped out or failed to gather enough petition signatures to make the ballot, leaving one Democrat in each of those races.
Statewide candidates will have less name recognition than Republican candidates ahead of the general election, since they didn’t have primaries, Card said. In the Legislature, Card said Democrats “are guaranteeing they won’t get a majority.”
In contrast, Republicans have primary races for governor, U.S. House and U.S. Senate. Five legislative districts do not have Republican primaries, but do have Republican candidates. There is a Republican candidate running for every legislative seat, except for one House seat in District 27, which includes the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Card said there are several factors leading to poor candidate turnout among Democrats, including a self-fulfilling cycle of failure.
“A lack of winning makes fewer people willing to take a chance on running for office,” Card said. “Why run if I think I’m going to lose?”
Democrats haven’t held a statewide office since 2015, and they haven’t held a majority of either legislative chamber since 1994.
Joe Zweifel, deputy executive director of the South Dakota Democratic Party, said the organization worked “really, really hard” to convince Democrats to run for office.
“But you can’t force people to run for office,” said Zweifel, of Sioux Falls, who’s running for a legislative seat himself in District 12.
He’s heard the open seats called a “failure.” But he disagrees, choosing to focus on the Democrats who did step forward.
“We’re running quality, good candidates in those races,” Zweifel said.
The South Dakota Democratic Party hopes to build on legislative successes, such as a new law from Rep. Kadyn Wittman, D-Sioux Falls, that commits state funding to cover the family portion of reduced-price school meals.
“That specifically is a return on investment for our donors, and it shows that Democrats are doing good things for the people of South Dakota,” Zweifel said.
Wittman’s success helped inspire Democratic District 13 House of Representatives candidate Ali Rae Horsted, of Sioux Falls, to take a second run at the Legislature. Horsted ran unsuccessfully for the Senate against Sen. Sue Peterson in 2024, garnering 42% of the vote.
Horsted plans to build on that success and the name recognition she already has in the district. She hopes she’ll have “better odds” in this election, since there are two House seats for every district.
Horsted said it would better serve South Dakota if the state had a more balanced Legislature. While the latest Legislature was 92% Republican, 52% of voters in South Dakota are Republican. South Dakota has the lowest percentage of Democrats, 7.6%, in the Legislature nationwide.
“I think it’s important that people have options on the ballot,” Horsted said, “and people are able to vote for candidates that represent their values and their vision for the future of South Dakota.”
Makenzie Huber is a lifelong South Dakotan who regularly reports on the intersection of politics and policy with health, education, social services and Indigenous affairs. Her work with South Dakota Searchlight earned her the title of South Dakota’s Outstanding Young Journalist in 2024, and she was a 2024 finalist for the national Livingston Awards.
South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
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From East River to West River, South Dakota communities share a common goal: creating places where people of all ages can live, work and thrive. AARP’s Domains of Livability provide a framework to help communities do just that. Through the AARP Community Challenge grant program—designed to spark quick, impactful local projects—South Dakota communities are turning big ideas into visible, people-centered improvements.
Read the South Dakota Community Challenge Grant Report, which showcases grant-funded projects across the state designed to build more livable communities.
What Are AARP’s Domains of Livability?
AARP’s approach to livable communities is rooted in eight interconnected domains that together support quality of life at every age:
- Outdoor Spaces and Buildings – Safe, accessible parks, streets and public buildings
- Transportation – Affordable, accessible options for getting around
- Housing – A range of choices that support independence
- Social Participation – Opportunities to connect, learn and have fun
- Respect and Social Inclusion – Communities that value people of all backgrounds and ages
- Civic Participation and Employment – Meaningful ways to engage and contribute
- Communication and Information – Clear, accessible ways to stay informed
- Community Support and Health Services – Access to services that support well-being
These domains work best when addressed together—something South Dakota communities are embracing.
Turning Vision into Action with Community Challenge Grants
AARP Community Challenge grants fund short-term, “quick-action” projects that can ignite long-term change. Across South Dakota, these grants have helped communities pilot ideas, build momentum and demonstrate what’s possible when residents put people first.
Here’s how local projects are bringing the Domains of Livability to life:
- Outdoor Spaces and Buildings: Communities have used grants to enhance parks, create pop-up public spaces, add benches and shade and install wayfinding signs. These improvements invite people to linger, gather, and enjoy shared spaces—supporting both physical activity and social connection.
- Transportation: Small, thoughtful transportation projects can make a big difference. Community Challenge grants have supported safer crossings, improved walkability and bikeability around key destinations and the planning or installation of transit amenities like shelters and seating—especially important for older adults and people with mobility challenges.
- Housing and Community Support: Some projects focus on helping residents age in place by improving access to information about home modification resources or by testing neighborhood-level solutions that connect people to services. These efforts strengthen independence and peace of mind.
- Social Participation and Inclusion: Murals, community events and creative placemaking projects funded by AARP grants have sparked community pride and social connection. By involving residents in design and implementation, these projects foster respect, inclusion and a strong sense of belonging across generations.
- Communication, Civic Participation and Opportunity: From hosting community conversations to creating new tools for sharing local information, South Dakota communities are using grants to engage residents in shaping their future. These efforts elevate local voices and encourage ongoing civic participation.
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