All articles tagged with #south dakota
A bronze statue honoring former South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem was unveiled in Pierre, drawing online laughter and disbelief as the ceremony unfolded with drapes being pulled away and attendees reacting to the life-size sculpture.
Kristi Noem attended the unveiling of a life-size bronze statue of herself on horseback in Pierre, South Dakota, to honor her six-year governorship, a ceremony notable for the absence of her husband and unfolding personal and political scandals, including Noem’s ouster from DHS, tabloid-reported romance rumors with Corey Lewandowski, and Lewandowski’s visible efforts to regain influence with Donald Trump.
Julian Beaudion, South Dakota's Democratic Senate nominee, withdrew from the race—the third Democratic withdrawal in a red-state contest this year—opening the field for independent candidate Brian Bengs to challenge Republican incumbent Mike Rounds. Beaudion cited threats and a devastating house fire, and said he would not endorse Bengs, prioritizing his family's safety.
Democratic Senate nominee Julian Beaudion dropped out under party pressure, clearing the way for independent Brian Bengs to challenge Republican Sen. Mike Rounds in November—a move part of a pattern in red states where Democrats exit to back independents with stronger fundraising and polling.
Julian Beaudion withdraws from the South Dakota Senate race, clearing the field for independent Brian Bengs to take on incumbent Republican Mike Rounds in a contest that could shift dynamics in a GOP-leaning state.
NBC News projects South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden won the Republican nomination in a runoff against Toby Doeden, moving on to face Democrat Dan Ahlers in November; Rhoden, elevated to governor after Kristi Noem left for a federal homeland security post, campaigned on tax cuts and crime reduction, while Doeden pushed bold conservative leadership and immigration measures; both aligned with Trump, who did not endorse in the race.
Utah stays No. 1 overall in U.S. News 2026 Best States rankings for the fourth year, while Texas leads the nation in the economy category; South Dakota jumps to No. 2 and North Dakota rises to No. 4 as growth shifts toward the Midwest and South, with multiple states topping specific categories across eight metrics, and no state excelling in every area.
A Live Casinos ranking evaluated night-sky darkness and cloud cover across all 50 states, naming South Dakota the best state for stargazing with a 7.79/10 star-visibility score; about half the state lies in the darkest Bortle categories and annual cloud cover is around 11.65%, with Sanborn County highlighted as the prime viewing spot. Wyoming and Alaska also rank highly, followed by Montana, Arizona, Nevada, North Dakota, New Mexico, Nebraska, and Oregon.
Trump heads to Mount Rushmore for a 250th‑anniversary event, but carving a fifth presidential likeness is deemed physically impossible by the monument’s fixed design; however, Interior Secretary Burgum says there could be room for a Trump face. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna has introduced legislation to authorize the carving, but the bill is stalled and unlikely to clear the Senate. The visit unfolds in a different political climate than 2020, alongside revived but incomplete projects like the Garden of American Heroes.
In February 2023, Gov. Kristi Noem commuted the life sentence of a man named Milk for a 1993 stabbing death in Winner, South Dakota. Prosecutors later filed charges tying Milk to the death, with South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley saying the commutation was Noem’s decision. The Associated Press notes Noem has since joined NovaRed Mining in a strategic advisory role.
A South Dakota rancher’s gut feeling led paleontologists to a 67-million-year-old T. rex skeleton unearthed on his land; now nicknamed Gus, the 38-foot fossil is headed to Sotheby’s with estimates up to $30 million, potentially delivering a multi-million windfall to the landowner’s widow under private-land fossil ownership laws.
South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden will face businessman Toby Doeden in a July 28 GOP primary runoff for a full term after neither cleared 35% in Tuesday’s vote. Doeden led with about 31%, Rhoden had 25%, followed by Rep. Dusty Johnson at 23% and former House Speaker Jon Hansen at 21%. Trump did not endorse; Doeden markets himself as a political outsider and Trump ally, while Rhoden touts property tax cuts and crime reductions. The Republican nominee is favored in the general election in a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat governor since the 1970s, and Trump carried SD by 29 points in 2024.
Six states held primaries on Tuesday, delivering a mix of wins and unresolved races: in Iowa, Democrat Josh Turek won the Senate nomination while Trump-endorsed Randy Feenstra lost the GOP governor’s race to Zach Lahn; in California, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass advanced to the November ballot and Xavier Becerra is in a strong position for one of the two governor slots, though the second slot remains uncertain as late vote counts come in (with talk of a Hilton vs. Steyer showdown); in Montana, Democrat Alani Bankhead won the Senate nomination, boosting Democrats’ hopes; in South Dakota, Governor Larry Rhoden trailed in a crowded field and faces a potential runoff under the state’s rules. The results reflect mixed outcomes for Trump-endorsed candidates and Democrats’ strategies across red-leaning states, with California’s slow-count dynamics likely to shape the national map.
South Dakota voters will cast GOP nominations for governor (Rhoden vs. Johnson, Hansen, Doeden), U.S. Senate (Rounds vs. McNeal) and U.S. House (Jackley vs. Bialota), plus a Sioux Falls mayoral race; Democrat Dan Ahlers is unopposed for the Democratic nomination for governor. A 35% threshold could trigger a June 23 runoff, and independents may participate in the Democratic primary while party rules limit participation in the Republican primary.
A former Aberdeen mayor criticizes Kristi Noem’s six-year tenure as South Dakota governor, saying she “did a Sarah Palin” and quit, as Noem faces renewed scrutiny after being fired by Donald Trump from her Homeland Security post. The dismissal followed controversy over immigration policy, a costly DHS ad campaign, FEMA reductions, and rumors of an affair with adviser Corey Lewandowski. Critics note a minimal legislative legacy and high turnover during her tenure, while Trump later nominated a replacement and Noem moved to a new envoy role, underscoring ongoing controversy surrounding her leadership.