GOP Rep. Dusty Johnson entered the race Monday for South Dakota governor, as Gov. Larry Rhoden (R) has yet to announce whether he will run for reelection. “South Dakota is a special place where hard work, conservative common sense and firm handshakes are a way of life,” Johnson says in an ad posted on YouTube.

Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) could face a strong primary challenger in the 2026 midterm elections from his home state’s attorney general. South Dakota’s at-large congressional seat has been held by Johnson since 2019.

With just under a year to go before the 2026 primary election, Republican political dominoes have begun to fall in.