Those we recommend are in green.
Those we don't recommend are in red.
If still black or
orange, we don't have enough information yet to make a recommendation, or there is only one candidate.
Election: 2026 Primary
Many of the races only have one candidate; we will not be discussing them, for the most part.
| Race | Candidates |
|
| Statewide | Governor |
Larry Rhoden - Republican
Dusty Johnson - Republican
|
| Statewide | Senate |
Justin McNeal - Republican
Mike Rounds - Republican
|
| Statewide | Congress |
Marty Jackley - Republican
|
| District |
| 1 -- Brown, Day, Marshall, Roberts, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
|
|
| District |
| 2 -- Brown, Clark, Hamlin, Spink, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
Adam Long | -- Faith-driven. Lifetime of service. People over government | Brandon Lane | | Dawn Hill | -- Switched from Democrat to Republican in September of 2025 | Manuel Luschas | | Blake Rife | -- Democrat |
|
|
| District |
| 3 -- Brown County |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
Kaleb W Weis | | | Al Novstrup | -- 2026 SDCFL score: 53.8%,
including voting on 2021-SB3, to confine people in their homes if believed to
have covid; previously registered Democrat.
| Spencer Sommers | | Timothy Hanigan | | Erin Ronayne Rudner | -- Democrat |
|
|
| District |
| 4 -- Clark, rural Codington, Deuel, Grant, Hamlin, Roberts, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
Stephanie Sauder | -- 2026 SDCFL score: 24% | Tim Begalka | -- cornerstone conservative; good voting record when previously in the legislature |
|
SD House
|
| Dylan Jordan | -- 2026 SDCFL score: 96.2% | Ryan Kohl | -- Advocated for SB201 Carbon pipeline eminent domain abuse. | | Kent Roe | -- Author of data center tax credit abuse bill
2026 SDCFL score: 15.4% | | Fred Deutsch | -- poor voting record,
including voting on 2021-SB3, to confine people in their homes if believed to
have covid
68% SD Citizens for Liberty score | Gary William Hudiburgh III | -- Advocated for the CO2 pipeline and the use of eminent domain. He supposedly testified remotely at the hearings. In Deuel county in fall 2024, he advocated for yet another wind farm while at a PUC hearing for the Deuel South Wind Farm. His bio states that he is a graduate of the Billie Sutton School of Economic Development. Also, a DC lobbyist for millwright labor union. | Emilia Enquist | -- Democrat |
|
|
| District |
| 5 -- Codington County |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
|
|
| District |
| 6 -- Lincoln County |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
Austin Wolf | -- Democrat | Elliott Neff | -- Attends conservative trainings; endorsed by other conservatives | Jerry Jongeling | | Ned Horsted | -- Evidently a buddy of Reistoffer; wants full recreational marijuana | Tim Czmowski | -- 2026 SDCFL score: 20% | Garret M. Campbell | -- Democrat |
|
|
| District |
| 7 -- Brookings County |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
|
|
| District |
| 8 -- Lake, Miner, Moody, Sanborn, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
Danny Brown | | James Sapp | -- endorsed by conservatives | Jon Nelson | | Todd Wilkinson | -- Endorsed by Casey Crabtree; evidently loves economic development and will promote it. Wants to bring "civility" to Pierre. Said the last two years of circus in Pierre made him realize he had to run. Has been a lawyer, and is definitely anything but conservative, according to his own words promoting himself. | Samuel Krueger | -- endorsed by conservatives |
|
|
| District |
| 9 -- Minnehaha County |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
|
|
| District |
| 10 -- Minnehaha County |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
Bobbi L Andera | -- 2026 SDCFL score: 76.9% | Adam Bair | -- Democrat | Kathleen Brudvig | -- Democrat | Kimberly Petterson | -- Fighting for election integrity | John Pohlman | |
|
|
| District |
| 11 -- Minnehaha County |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
|
|
| District |
| 12 -- Lincoln, Minnehaha, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
Arch Beal | -- WITHDREW | Kari Shanard-Koenders | | Joe Zweifel | -- Democrat |
|
SD House
|
|
|
| District |
| 13 -- Lincoln, Minnehaha, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
Sue Peterson | -- 2026 SDCFL score: 72% | Dan Kippley | -- Former commissioner for Minnehaha county. Terrible with election integrity. |
|
SD House
|
|
|
| District |
| 14 -- Minnehaha County |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
|
|
| District |
| 15 -- Minnehaha County |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
Joni Tschetter | -- Priorities:
- SUPPORTING LIFE & FAMILY VALUES
- JOBS & DEVELOPMENT
- EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN
| Kadyn Wittman | -- Democrat
2026 SDCFL score: 7.7% | June CopperStad | -- Democrat | Andre Zachariahs | |
|
|
| District |
| 16 -- Lincoln, Union, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
John Shubeck | -- 2026 SDCFL score: 65.4% | Lisa Bogue | | Jason D VanDenTop | -- Conservative farmer; against pipeline; Christian school | Tim Rhead | -- Democrat |
|
|
| District |
| 17 -- Clay, Turner, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
Robin J. Shiro | | | Chris Kassin | -- 2026 SDCFL score: 26.9% | | Bill Shorma | -- WITHDREW --
61% score with SD Citizens for Liberty. Evidently, Shorma voted against property rights by supporting SB201. | Leslie Gerrish | -- Democrat | Austin Brunick | -- Democrat | Troy Redler | |
|
|
| District |
| 18 -- Yankton County |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
Jean M Hunhoff | -- 55% score with SD Citizens for Liberty. | Lauren Nelson | -- Fighter for righteousness
2026 SDCFL score: 76% | Kay Swihart | -- Democrat |
|
SD House
|
John R Marquardt | | Mike Stevens | -- 2026 SDCFL score: 23.1%, lower than some Democrats. | Jarod Holcomb | -- Democrat | Karen Springer | -- Democrat | Michael Nutley | |
|
|
| District |
| 19 -- Bon Homme, Douglas, Hanson, Hutchinson, McCook, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
Kyle Schoenfish | -- terrible voting record, including voting for 2021-SB3 to confine you to your house. 2026 SDCFL score: 32%, worse than some Democrats. | Russell E. Graeff | -- Democrat | Donna Olson | -- Grassroots conservative |
|
SD House
|
|
|
| District |
| 20 -- Aurora, Davison, Jerauld, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
|
|
| District |
| 21 -- Charles Mix, Gregory, Tripp, Aurora, Douglas, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
| Erin Tobin | -- 40% score with SD Citizens for Liberty, worse than some Democrats. | Mykala Voita | -- Strong fighter for righteousness.
2026 SDCFL score: 80% | Dan Andersson | -- Democrat |
|
SD House
|
|
|
| District |
| 22 -- Beadle, Kingsbury, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
|
|
| District |
| 23 -- Campbell, Edmunds, Faulk, Hand, McPherson, Potter, Spink, Walworth, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
|
|
| District |
| 24 -- Hughes, Hyde, Stanley, Sully, Haakon, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
Mike Weisgram | -- 2026 SDCFL score: 30.8% | Brian Burge | -- Libertarian and Constitutionalist | Laurie Gill | -- Establishment | Regan Bollweg | | Tim Rounds | -- Brother to Mike Rounds |
|
|
| District |
| 25 -- Minnehaha County |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
Les Heinemann | -- WITHDREW | Bart L Sample | | Carrie Sanderson | | Nick Buchholz | |
|
|
| District |
| 26 -- Brule, Buffalo, Jones, Lyman, Mellette, Todd, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
Eric E. Emery | -- Democrat
2026 SDCFL score: 15.4% | Lewis J. GrassRope | -- Democrat
| Angi Hanzlik | -- Picked by Reimer | Will Mahnke | | Ron Frederick | |
|
|
| District |
| 27 -- Bennett, Jackson, Pennington, Oglala Lakota, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
Elizabeth Lone Eagle | -- Democrat |
|
|
| District |
| 28 -- Butte, Corson, Dewey, Harding, Perkins, Ziebach, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
|
|
| District |
| 29 -- Meade, Pennington, Butte, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
| Kathy Rice | -- 2026 SDCFL score: 92.3% | Gary Cammack | -- Cammack voted for SB201, the eminent domain abuse bill.
Cammack has a terrible voting record; check out the scorecard. He is
definitely not a conservative. He voted for 2021-SB3
which gave power to non-elected bureaucrats at the Department of Health to confine citizens to their home if they believe they have Covid. | | Terri Jorgenson | -- Christian. Said she was asked to run by the Rhodens and Meade Co. GOP (in a race where there were already two Republican candidates).
2026 SDCFL score: 61.5% | Gary Deering | |
|
|
| District |
| 30 -- Custer, Fall River, Pennington, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
Tim Goodwin | -- 2026 SDCFL score: 50% | Trish Ladner | -- Voted YES on 2021-SB3 to confine people to
their houses. Opposed 2021-HB1247 allowing for conscience
decisions for medical workers. No on 2021-SB177, against allowing parental
choice with regards to schooling.
2026 SDCFL score: 30.8% | | Stephen Saint | |
|
|
| District |
| 31 -- Lawrence County |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
Randy Deibert | -- 2026 SDCFL score: 32%, worse than some Democrats | John E. Teupel | -- Excellent parliamentarian |
|
SD House
|
|
|
| District |
| 32 -- Pennington County |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
Helene Duhamel | -- 2026 SDCFL score: 29.2%, worse than some Democrats, and one of the lowest scores of all.
Also, it seems like the plan might be for her to quit, then resign, and let the governor appoint. (only conjecture and rumor) | Karen M. McNeal | | Jeff Shelton | -- Democrat |
|
SD House
|
Nicole Uhre-Balk | -- Democrat
2026 SDCFL score: 15.4% | Steve Duffy | -- 2026 SDCFL score: 16%, worse than some Democrats. Also, he is Helene Duhamel's husband, and a registered Democrat until he decided to run for office here. | Zachary Martin | -- Recommended by conservatives |
|
|
| District |
| 33 -- Meade, Pennington, Counties |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
Christopher Baumgartner | -- Democrat | | David Johnson | -- 35% SD Citizens for Liberty score, worse than some Democrats | Curt Voight | -- Attends Rimrock church
Former school principle
2026 SDCFL score: 72% |
|
SD House
|
|
|
| District |
| 34 -- Pennington County |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
|
|
| District |
| 35 -- Pennington County |
|
| Race |
Candidates |
SD Senate
|
|
SD House
|
|
|