South Dakota Republicans headed to the polls on June 2, 2026, for one of the most competitive GOP gubernatorial primaries the state has seen in years. Four candidates vied for the Republican nomination for governor — a race that analysts described as unusually wide open for a deep-red state. Here is everything you need to know about the South Dakota Governor Primary Results 2026, the candidates, the key issues, and what comes next.
Why the 2026 South Dakota GOP Governor’s Primary Is So Competitive
The race took on a different character from the start because of how the incumbent came to power. Incumbent Republican Larry Rhoden ascended to the office of governor in 2025 after Kristi Noem resigned to become Secretary of Homeland Security under President Donald Trump. That unusual path to the governorship left the field wide open.
South Dakota Searchlight’s editor-in-chief Seth Tupper noted: “People are viewing this as an open seat. Kristi Noem resigned, and yes, the Lieutenant Governor came in and you could call him an incumbent, sort of, not really, but kind of… open seats don’t come along very often, obviously, in South Dakota Republican politics.”
Democrats have been shut out of statewide office in South Dakota since 2015, making the Republican primary effectively the deciding contest for the governorship.
The Four Republican Candidates for South Dakota Governor 2026
Gov. Larry Rhoden — The Incumbent
Larry Rhoden had previously been serving as lieutenant governor under Noem since the two took office in 2019. Now seeking his first full term, Rhoden leaned on his executive record and governing experience as his central pitch to voters.
Rhoden said his experience and leadership style set him apart in the 2026 Republican primary race. “I have a record of getting things done and delivering results on some pretty tough issues,” Rhoden said, citing the eventual agreement to build a new men’s prison in Sioux Falls as one example.
Rep. Dusty Johnson — The Congressional Challenger
During the 119th Congress, Johnson served on the House Committees on Agriculture; Transportation and Infrastructure; and the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. Since January 2023, he has also been the Chair of the Republican Main Street Partnership.
Johnson entered the race in June 2025 and quickly positioned himself as a frontrunner. Pre-election polling showed him with a narrow lead, and he made property tax relief — without raising sales taxes — a signature issue.
Jon Hansen — The Conservative State House Speaker
Hansen frequently described himself as the most conservative of the candidates. “I’m running for governor because South Dakota needs tested, trusted, conservative leadership that does more than talk,” he said. Hansen represented a grassroots conservative wing of the party and positioned himself as the candidate willing to take the boldest policy stands.
Toby Doeden — The Business Outsider
Toby Doeden entered the race as a businessman and political outsider. He unexpectedly surged in late polling, making the race even more unpredictable in the final weeks. Like Johnson, Doeden opposed using higher sales taxes to fund property tax cuts — a contrast he drew sharply against Governor Rhoden.
South Dakota Governor Primary 2026: Pre-Election Polls
The race was among the most closely watched in the country precisely because the polling was so tight — and so volatile.
Averaging the three public polls released in May 2026, Rhoden was at 25%, Doeden 24%, and Johnson 23%, with Hansen trailing slightly at 17%.
An earlier survey showed a slightly different picture. Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy published results from a poll of 500 registered Republican voters, showing Johnson winning 28% of the vote, Rhoden 27%, Doeden 4%, and Hansen 2%, with a margin of error of ±4.5%.
The swing in Doeden’s numbers between polls highlighted how unpredictable the outcome was — any of the four candidates was considered capable of advancing.
The 35% Runoff Rule: A Critical Threshold
One of the most important factors shaping the 2026 South Dakota governor’s primary is a unique state rule that could extend the contest well beyond June 2.
To advance to the general election, a winner needed 35% of the vote. If no candidate reached that threshold, the top two vote-getters would advance to a runoff election in July.
If no candidate received over 35% in the primary, a runoff election would take place on July 28, 2026.
Given how closely the four candidates were polling, political observers widely expected that a runoff was a real possibility. A fractured vote across four credible candidates made it difficult for any single candidate to clear the 35% bar outright.
Key Issues in the South Dakota 2026 Governor’s Race
Property Tax Relief
Property tax policy emerged as the defining policy battleground of the primary. Both Johnson and Doeden said Rhoden’s property tax cuts came at the expense of higher sales taxes — a line of attack that resonated with fiscally conservative Republican voters skeptical of any tax increase, even an indirect one.
Conservative Identity and Credentials
With all four candidates running as Republicans in a deep-red state, the fight was partly over who could most convincingly claim the conservative mantle. Hansen staked out the most explicitly ideological ground, while Rhoden emphasized pragmatic governance, Johnson highlighted his congressional record, and Doeden ran as an anti-establishment outsider.
The Noem Factor
The shadow of former Governor Kristi Noem loomed over the race. Her departure for the Trump Cabinet created the opening, but her absence also left a vacuum in terms of a clear Republican establishment favorite. None of the four candidates locked up dominant institutional support before election day.
The Democratic Side: Dan Ahlers
The winner of the Republican primary will take on the lone candidate running on the Democratic side, state Rep. Dan Ahlers. Given South Dakota’s deep-red lean — in the 2024 presidential election, Republican Donald Trump won South Dakota with a 63.4-34.2 finish against Democrat Kamala Harris — the Republican nominee will enter the general election as a heavy favorite regardless of who wins the primary or any subsequent runoff.
What Happens Next: Runoff or General Election?
Where no candidate gets 35% of the vote, the top two finishers will have a runoff on July 28. If that threshold is met, the winner advances directly to the November 3, 2026 general election.
Given the tight four-way field, voters and political watchers across the country are monitoring whether South Dakota’s governor’s race will be decided on June 2 or whether it heads into a summer runoff — a scenario that would extend the campaign and give the trailing candidates one more chance to consolidate support.
South Dakota Governor’s Race in National Context
The South Dakota primary is part of a broader wave of 2026 midterm primaries reshaping the Republican Party. South Dakota’s governor, the speaker of the state House, the state’s lone representative in Congress, and a businessman faced off in a competitive Republican primary for governor — a rare configuration that put multiple high-profile officeholders against each other simultaneously. Primary voters also chose nominees for other state and federal offices, while Sioux Falls residents elected a new mayor.
How to Follow the South Dakota Governor Primary Results 2026 Live
Live results for the South Dakota governor’s race are being reported in real time by the Associated Press, with projections provided by major news outlets including NBC News, PBS NewsHour, and the Washington Post. Results will be updated as votes are counted throughout the evening and into the night.
For the most current vote totals, percentage breakdowns by county, and any race calls, check the AP-powered live results dashboards at NBC News, 270toWin, and Ballotpedia, all of which are tracking the race in real time.
Who do you think will come out on top — will Rhoden hold on, or will Johnson, Hansen, or Doeden pull off an upset? Drop your prediction in the comments and bookmark this page for the latest live updates as results roll in!