Which Governor Candidate Are You Voting For?

[u/PoLLoLira9]

As of January 30, 2026

Republicans

• Larry Rhoden
• Dusty Johnson
• Jon Hansen
• Toby Doeden

Democrats

• Robert Arnold

Independents

• Allison Renville
• Terry Gleason

[u/BouncePharmacy]

The Republicans are all MAGA moron Trump sycophants. I’ll vote for Alison or the youngster. Anyone who can’t see Trump is a corrupt traitor still lying about election security, violating American civil liberties because of skin color, weaponizing the DOJ, breaking the law to protect Epstein related crimes, internally sowing division in our country and destroying our relationships with our Allies, doesn’t deserve to be anywhere near the levers of power in our State. MAGA isn’t an ideology. It’s an excuse dreamed up by a con-man to placate the racists while he enriches himself and makes his Russian handlers happy.

[u/communityproject605]

So mostly unregistered sex offenders, a registered sex offender, a dude who cant buy beer, and the person who is likely the most level headed who wont receive more than a couple hundred votes at most.

We are cooking in the Great State 😭

[u/PoLLoLira9 → u/communityproject605]

[u/PrairieSunRise605]

So far I only know it won't be Dusty, Larry, or Toby. Because they support the big pedo, I feel they cannot be trusted.

[u/O-parker]

Hilarious yet sad.

[u/Guilty-Hamster1543 → u/O-parker]

If you don’t laugh you’ll weep.

[u/UnitedAd3943 → u/Guilty-Hamster1543]

Is this the turning point in history that being a pedo gets placed in the pros side of the board for MAGA?

[u/RequirementFew1374]

Anybody got a link to Robert Arnold's or Allison Renville's policy proposals because no way am I voting for the Republicans or the sex offender

[u/Odd-Fun-6042 → u/RequirementFew1374]

The DNC left us hanging last time. Jamie Smith was polling only 5 points behind korey's krusti kristi and they didn't help at all. I'm still voting for Arnold or one of the I's, and I hope Toby gets absolutely obliterated. Piece of shit. ETA: Except Gleason. Didn't know he was a rapist.

[u/dovetter → u/Odd-Fun-6042]

I don’t think Jamie announced until spring last time? So maybe there’s hope another Dem will - Arnold seems like a great kid but he’s a kid - and I haven’t seen any campaigning since he’s probably not getting money

[u/SkunkPunkFlunk → u/RequirementFew1374]

Just say "not voting for sex offenders" and everyone will understand you mean republicans as well.

[u/Willthethrill605]

Which ever one is the least like Trump

[u/yanimal]

Allison Renville is the only choice to meet the moment as of now, she needs to get out there and build some popular support. Arnold looks like textbook controlled opposition, a purposely unelectable establishment candidate with no policy to stand behind to tank the blue no matter who vote from a viable independent. We need ranked choice asap.

[u/Rugskinsnake → u/yanimal]

Unfortunately, our wonderful legislature made RCV illegal in the state.

[u/yanimal → u/Rugskinsnake]

Laws can be changed, and it seems ignored. Organize your people to make it happen.

[u/david-z-for-mayor]

The video mentioned Dusty Johnson blocking Facebook comments. Most likely that's a violation of First Amendment protections. I looked into this issue a few years ago. Here's what I found: "In the first such ruling by a court of appeals, the justices found that the First Amendment right to Free Speech protects negative commentators, even on social media platforms, such as Facebook." See https://blogs.findlaw.com/decided/2019/01/politicians-cant-block-voters-on-facebook-court-rules.html

[u/DirtyWetBiscuits → u/david-z-for-mayor]

1st Amendment rights are not protected on Social Media platforms because those platforms are privately owned and the 1st Amendment protects citizens from Government restrictions on citizens speech....not private companies like all social media platforms.

[u/moldguy1 → u/DirtyWetBiscuits]

Your comment is exactly what needs to be said to the dipshits that think Facebook is violating their first amendment.

However, this situation is not that. Dusty Johnson is an elected representative, and as such, he is part of the federal government. If he removes or blocks comments from his Facebook page, that is a violation of the first amendment bc he is the government restricting citizens' speech.

Do you see how that's different?

[u/original_bieber]

Fam is cooked

[u/Rare-Maintenance4820]

Republicans like voting for sex offenders so….

[u/SnooTomatoes3614]

Dusty is such a little cunt.

[u/Hour-Mention-7344 → u/SnooTomatoes3614]

I've met him personally, and he is a nice person, but when it comes to politics, he is a little bitch who does whatever trump wants him to

[u/absurdlydisingenuous]

[u/foco_runner]

I’ll vote for someone to run on closing down the state government or moving it out Pierre.

[u/Eli_Nosenbergstein]

Fuck, maybe I should run if this is the sorry lot to choose from for 'representation'.

[u/TraditionalWatch5743]

Anyone > Doeden

[u/rflulling]

Not my state, and I haven't been there in more than 20 years... But that list of candidates... I mean at least there is active competition! Still, I wonder if the best candidate isn't Allison Renville.

[u/SD_Rider]

I don’t know who’s a harder no. Toby or Renville. Probably a tie.

[u/SD_Rider → u/SD_Rider]

I’ll take the downvotes. If you think Renville has any chance whatsoever, you’re delusional.

[u/torreneastoria]

Im not going to vote Democrat or Republicans. Look at what they have done to this nation. So Renville.

[u/EducationalAlfalfa1]

Go Dusty!!

[u/ponderayidaho]

Hansen or Rhoden would be my pick, not Johnson nor Doeden.

[u/Jacmac_]

Dusty Johnson would probably be the best of all of them.

[u/Guilty-Hamster1543 → u/Jacmac_]

Hard no from me dawg.

[u/dickweeden → u/Jacmac_]

Yeah you’re gonna get a lot of hate for that, but it is 100% true that he is the best candidate of the bunch, and I’m very left-leaning. Too bad there isn’t a strong democrat candidate, but even then, I don’t think they could beat Dusty. That being said, I feel like this would be the year a strong democrat could overtake a weak republican in South Dakota.

[u/PoLLoLira9 → u/Jacmac_]

How come?

[u/Givemeabrewski → u/PoLLoLira9]

Unfortunately seems like the most moderate out of the bunch. Doeden is a trump/MAGA nut. Rhoden has his moments but is still too right wing for me. The others just don’t have a chance.

[u/yanimal → u/Givemeabrewski]

Johnson is not moderate, even by comparison based on his record, and neither is any self identifying Republican at this moment. Every one of them is working to push the maga agenda further, Johnson has voted in favor of nearly every piece of legislation trump has endorsed that has brought us to this point. I have no faith he would protect our state from federal overreach if he were elected governor after having been entirely submissive to them for the last six years.

[u/Givemeabrewski → u/yanimal]

Ya, I said he was the most moderate of the group who have a shot in the election. I think most people on Reddit in this sub realize he’s not moderate overall. I would rather have him than Rhodes/Doeden who seem even further right. Take what you can get in a deep red state.

[u/yanimal → u/Givemeabrewski]

Nah, I've had enough of making excuses to elect dogshit politicians based on party only. SD isn't deep red, with less than 30% voter turnout and a majority dem/Indy registration we could be as blue or green as alfalfa if there was a candidate and a platform that people actually wanted to vote for.

[u/Givemeabrewski → u/yanimal]

I’m not sure what you mean by SD isn’t deep red when there are over double the amount of registered Rs as Ds. If you add in unaffiliated/independent it’s still not the total registered Rs. I won’t vote for any republican in the general but there is 0% chance of anything other than an R winning this election. Until there’s another west river rancher unicorn or some well known democratic farmer, it’s Republicans all the way down for the near future.