South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden is expected to throw his hat into the ring when it comes to the 2026 gubernatorial election, according to reporting by The Dakota Scout.
The Dakota Scout goes on to report that Rhoden, who stepped into the state’s top office following Gov. Kristi Noem’s departure, is expected to make the big announcement at a campaign kickoff event next week in Rapid City.
KOTA Territory News reached out to Rhoden’s administration about the report, however they would not confirm his future campaign plans.
The potential announcement follows months of questions on whether he would seek a full term as governor.
A recent poll surveying more than 500 registered republicans, has Gov. Rhoden and Congressman Dusty Johnson essentially neck and neck in the 2026 Republican primary for the state’s next governor. The two are one percent away from each other with Johnson at 28 percent and Rhoden at 27 percent, with a no more than 4.5 percentage margin of error.
As previously reported by KOTA reporter Blake Troli, Rhoden weighed in on the poll’s results, saying, “Polls are snapshot in time and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t very encouraging for me, especially where I hadn’t announced, made any announcements.” So it’s encouraging, but, we have a lot of work to do.”
Rhoden’s tenure as governor has been marked by high-profile initiatives, including a $650 million prison replacement plan and a bill to address property tax reform.
