Uncommon Knowledge
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President Joe Biden has suffered a bruising in South Dakota, after failing to attract about a quarter of votes in the Democratic Party’s primary election.
In March, Biden and his Republican rival, former President Donald Trump, both received enough delegates across multiple primary votes to secure their parties’ nominations for November’s presidential election.
However, the primary season is still ongoing, and in some states voters are supporting other candidates to express their opposition to the presumptive nominees, despite them being all but confirmed for the election.
In South Dakota, Biden won the primary with 74.6 percent of the vote on June 4, the Associated Press reported. At the time of writing, with 99 percent of votes counted, that represented 13,365 votes. Despite Biden’s electoral success, some one in four Democratic voters in the Mount Rushmore State did not vote for him.
South Dakota’s primaries are partially closed, meaning that only members of the Democratic Party and registered independents can vote in the Democratic primary.
Newsweek has contacted a representative for Biden for comment by email outside business hours.
Thomas Gift, who heads the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London in the U.K., told Newsweek that those voting against Biden were not “representative” of the Democratic electorate and should not concern him too much.
“The fact that Biden already has the nomination clinched means that voters still motivated to show up at the polls aren’t at all a representative cross-section of the Democratic electorate,” he said. “There will inevitably be a higher percentage of disaffected partisans who come to the ballot box merely to make a point by signaling their discontent. While Biden certainly wishes his margins were larger, it’s not something his advisers will lose too much sleep over.”
It is not the first time Biden has faced opposition from members of his own party. In May, he won the Kentucky Democratic primary with 71.3 percent of the vote. With some 30 percent voting against him, it stands as the fifth-worst primary result of the 2024 cycle.
In the Kentucky primary, 17.9 percent of voters selected the “uncommitted” option, and 13.3 percent did so in Michigan, with some saying they were protesting Biden’s response to the latest war between Hamas and Israel.
Biden’s approval rating has also been poor recently. It has averaged 38 percent for months, according to the polling aggregator FiveThirtyEight, and Newsweek reported in May that Biden is the least-popular president in 75 years.
The Democratic incumbent is not the only candidate contending with protest votes. His Republican rival has also faced discontent in some GOP state primaries. In May, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who dropped out of the presidential race in March, won 22.7 percent of the vote in Maryland and 18.2 percent in Nebraska. While Trump won the primaries with a resounding majority, the results showed that he did not have the full support of Republicans in those states.
After the Democratic Party’s primary season concludes, Biden is set to face Trump on November 5 in a rematch of the 2020 election. It is expected to be a close race.
Update 06/05/24, 6:24 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include comment from Thomas Gift.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Hegseth on Iran: ‘This is not Iraq. This is not endless.’
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said operations on Iran won’t be “endless” like Iraq.
South Dakota’s Congressional leaders are praising President Donald Trump for his action of joining Israel for a missile-launched attack this weekend in Iran, with the intent to target and dismantle Iran’s nuclear capabilities and demand regime change.
“Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people,” Trump said Saturday, Feb. 28, calling the strikes, “a massive and ongoing operation.”
Trump has since faced scrutiny for a lack of clarity about the timeline and overall goals of the war, and acting without the direct approval of Congress, which has the power to officially declare war for the U.S. Lawmakers are also in heated debate about whether the Trump’s decision may violate the Constitution, with Democrats calling for a war powers resolution vote to stop the effort, according to multiple military outlets.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, was directly targeted, a Middle Eastern official told USA TODAY. Khamenei was killed in the attacks on Feb. 28, according to Israeli sources who told USA TODAY, CNN and Reuters. He was 86 and had led Iran since 1989.
Iran retaliated with drone and missile strikes, hitting American and Israeli targets, including a U.S. Naval base in Bahrain. Iran said its enemies would be “decisively defeated.”
At least four Americans and an estimated 200 other individuals have been killed, and an estimated 700 injured as of March 2.
President Trump said he expects more to come.
Here’s what South Dakota Congressional leaders, along with former South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who now sits at the helm of the Department of Homeland Security as secretary, have to say about what has been named by the administration as Operation Epic Fury.
“For years, Iran’s relentless nuclear ambitions, its expanded ballistic missile inventory and its unwavering support for terror groups in the region have posed a clear and unacceptable threat to U.S. servicemembers, citizens in the region, and many of our allies,” said Thune, a Republican, the morning of Feb. 28 in a comment from his office.
“Despite the dogged efforts of the president and his administration, the Iranian regime has refused the diplomatic off-ramps that would peacefully resolve these national security concerns. I commend President Trump for taking action to thwart these threats,” Thune said, thanking Secretary Rubio for providing updates on these issues throughout the week.
“I look forward to administration officials briefing all senators about these military operations,” he said. “I commend the bravery of the servicemembers carrying out these operations and pray for the safety of those in harm’s way.”
Rounds, a Republican, said Trump took “the right course of action” when handling the strike.
Rounds later congratulated the United States military and Trump on the death of the Iranian leader, stating the moment “offers a path for a more peaceful Middle East.”
Johnson, a Republican and the lone U.S. representative for South Dakota, stated the Iranian regime “is full of theocratic thugs and is the world’s largest state sponsor of terror.” He said Trump had given multiple opportunities to change direction.
“I’m praying for the safety of America’s servicemembers, and our allies involved in Operation Epic Fury,” Johnson stated on social media.
Noem, who left her governorship after she was appointed secretary at the beginning of Trump’s current term, took to social media as well, stating she was actively monitoring any potential threats against America.
“I am in direct coordination with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners,” she said.
The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 1, 2026, results for each game:
10-11-12-35-56, Bonus: 04
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
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.
Published on Mar. 1, 2026
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The South Dakota ProStart® Invitational is an annual culinary competition where high school students from across the state showcase their cooking and restaurant management skills. This year, 12 schools will send a total of 60 talented students to Pierre to compete in events like cake decorating, culinary arts, and restaurant management. Winners will receive scholarships and the opportunity to advance to the National ProStart® Invitational in Baltimore, Maryland.
The ProStart® program is an important investment in developing South Dakota’s future culinary and hospitality industry leaders. By providing high school students with hands-on experience and the chance to compete at the state and national levels, the program helps cultivate the next generation of skilled chefs, restaurateurs, and food service professionals.
The South Dakota ProStart® Invitational will take place on March 9-10, 2026 in Pierre. The competition kicks off on Monday, March 9th at 2:00 PM with a cake decorating contest. The more intense culinary arts and restaurant management competitions will be held on Tuesday, March 10th starting at 8:45 AM. Students will be judged on their technical skills, creativity, and business acumen as they compete for scholarships and a spot at the national competition.
Executive Director of the South Dakota Retailers Association, which administers the ProStart® program.
One of the 12 high schools sending students to compete in the South Dakota ProStart® Invitational.
One of the 12 high schools sending students to compete in the South Dakota ProStart® Invitational.
One of the 12 high schools sending students to compete in the South Dakota ProStart® Invitational.
One of the 12 high schools sending students to compete in the South Dakota ProStart® Invitational.
Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›
“ProStart® is an excellent way for us to invest in South Dakota’s future industry leaders. Our students are highly skilled and graduate workplace ready.”
— Nathan Sanderson, Executive Director of the South Dakota Retailers Association (b1027.com)
The winners of the South Dakota ProStart® Invitational will advance to the National ProStart® Invitational in Baltimore, Maryland, where they will represent the state on a national stage.
The South Dakota ProStart® Invitational is a valuable program that helps cultivate the next generation of culinary and hospitality professionals in the state, providing high school students with hands-on experience, scholarships, and the opportunity to showcase their skills at the national level.
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