Clockwise from top left, the candidates for the Republican nomination for governor of South Dakota participate in a debate on April 13, 2026, at South Dakota Public Broadcasting in Sioux Falls: businessman Toby Doeden, Gov. Larry Rhoden, state House Speaker Jon Hansen and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson. (Photos by Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (South Dakota Searchlight) — Three men who want to be governor of South Dakota vowed to do things differently than the current administration on topics including Medicaid, agriculture, taxes and education, while the governor said his results justify keeping him in the job.
The four candidates for the Republican nomination met in their second televised debate Monday evening, aired by South Dakota Public Broadcasting in partnership with South Dakota News Watch. Early voting is scheduled to begin Friday for the June 2 primary election.
Gov. Larry Rhoden, of rural Union Center, was elevated from lieutenant governor in January 2025 when then-Gov. Kristi Noem resigned to take a job in President Trump’s administration. Since then, Rhoden said, his successes have included working with the Legislature to pass property tax reduction plans and resolve a standoff over prison construction with the approval of a project in Sioux Falls.
“You’re going to hear a lot of talk tonight about plans,” Rhoden said. “We’ve delivered results.”
When a moderator asked the candidates what they would do to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates, U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson of Mitchell pledged to create a state surgeon general position. He said the state needs “somebody who can think in an innovative way about how to better deliver care.” He also pledged to move the management of government-funded health care for low-income people, known as Medicaid, from the state Department of Social Services to the state Department of Health so it could be treated like a “health care program” instead of a “welfare program.”
Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden reiterated his pledge to “phase out” property taxes, saying he would do it through a combination of spending cuts, growing the economy, and eliminating waste, fraud and abuse of government programs.
State House Speaker Jon Hansen, of Dell Rapids, pledged to create “education grants” with public funding so parents could send their children to the school of their choice, whether public, private or homeschooling. He also pledged to undo the merger of the former state Department of Environment and Natural Resources with the former Department of Agriculture, which created the combined Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Hansen said agriculture “deserves its own department.”
Economic development
Doeden promised he would be “the most pro-business governor this state has ever seen,” but said major projects must have local support.
“I will never use taxpayer money to subsidize multi-billion-dollar, out-of-state development projects,” Doeden said.
Hansen also rejected using taxpayer dollars to incentivize and recruit large corporations to the state.
“I’m not going to take the tax money of our South Dakota entrepreneurs and give it away to big companies,” Hansen said.
Johnson said South Dakota should focus on helping homegrown entrepreneurs succeed and that the state is not as business friendly as it should be.
He criticized Rhoden for signing three bills into law during the recently concluded legislative session that allow for new or higher sales taxes: an increase in the statewide sales tax from 4.2% to 4.5% that will go toward property tax reduction for homeowners, a new and optional 0.5% county sales tax that will also go toward homeowner property tax reduction, and a new and optional 1% city sales tax (on top of existing city sales taxes up to 2%) that could be imposed temporarily to pay for special projects.
“For a state where affordability is our biggest problem and higher costs are the biggest barriers to those small business startups, those higher taxes are not going to help you,” Johnson said.
He called the sales tax increases the largest in state history.
Rhoden called Johnson’s criticism “D.C. B.S.” and described the new property tax reduction laws as the “largest tax cut in state history.” Rhoden also said “we’ve had the three largest economic development projects right here in South Dakota” but did not identify the projects.
Agriculture
Johnson said high input costs are hitting farmers and ranchers hard, and sales tax increases could make things worse.
“If we think that tools and grain bins and fencing are expensive now, just wait until those additional sales taxes hit,” Johnson said.
Rhoden, a rancher, called that criticism “baloney” and said his own focus on foreign trade missions has grown international markets for South Dakota agricultural commodities and products.
Hansen focused on property rights, saying he “stood on the frontlines” against failed efforts by Iowa-based Summit Carbon Solutions to run a pipeline through farm and ranch land via the legal power of eminent domain. He also shared his plan to separate agriculture into its own state department.
Doeden said farmers and ranchers tell him South Dakota remains overregulated and unaffordable. He is “committed to phasing out property taxes,” he said, not only for homeowners but also for farmers and ranchers.
Education
Johnson said he supports most of the literacy reforms recently used successfully in Mississippi, and said South Dakota also needs bolder action, including investing more into improving education outcomes.
“If you are promoting third-graders into fourth grade who can’t read, you’re not doing them any favors,” Johnson said.
Rhoden said more spending alone would not solve the problem. He said his administration is reforming education standards and moving reading education back to a phonics focus.
“We’re getting away from Common Core,” Rhoden said, in reference to an education initiative supported by the Obama presidential administration, adding that the state is “moving to common sense.”
Hansen pledged to create publicly funded education grants.
“Parents ought to have the freedom and the financial freedom to choose the best education option for their kid,” Hansen said.
Doeden said South Dakota’s education budget has grown, but too much money has gone to “the bureaucrats” and “the administrators” instead of classrooms and teachers.
“Our teachers need to get paid more money,” Doeden said, noting the state’s rank of 47th in average teacher pay.
In closing
Rhoden said he was the only candidate who has served as governor and worn a military uniform — he was in the National Guard — and said he is focused on keeping South Dakota “strong, safe and free.”
Doeden said voters do not need “another 20-year politician as our governor.”
“I’m going to win this race, and I’m going to Pierre to fight for you,” Doeden said. “The people of South Dakota.”
Hansen said he has been “in the trenches” on property tax reduction, ending abortion, and protecting private property rights. He asked voters to back a candidate “rooted in biblical truth and conservative values.”
“I’m sick of people who are obsessed with big money and power, and tip over to the special interests and the big money lobbyists,” he said. “I’m done with all that.”
Johnson focused his closing statement on future generations.
“I want my kids, I want your kids here,” Johnson said. “I want them to choose South Dakota because South Dakota is the best place for them to build their futures. They deserve a South Dakota that doesn’t settle. They deserve a South Dakota whose leaders aspire to more than steadiness.”
The winner of the June 2 Republican primary — who needs at least 35% support to avoid a top-two runoff — will advance to the Nov. 3 general election. The only other certified candidate for governor so far is a Democrat, Dan Ahlers.
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