U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson Launches Bid for South Dakota Governor

Johnson becomes the third candidate in the Republican primary.

U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson has officially decided to compete in the Republican primary for Governor of South Dakota in 2026. His launch video can be found here. Incumbent Governor Larry Rhoden, a Republican, is eligible to run for his first full-term in office but has not yet announced if he will do so.

The 2026 cycle for Governors will see 36 contested races. Both Republicans and Democrats currently hold 18 of these seats. However, ten Republican Governors are term-limited or retiring as opposed to only six for Democrats. Meanwhile, Johnson becomes the 15th retirement from the U.S. House of Representatives this cycle, the ninth Republican to do so, and the 13th running for another office.

Johnson, 48, has served South Dakota’s At-Large Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives since January 2019. The state is one of only six in the nation to send only one member to the U.S. House - alongside Alaska, Delaware, North Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming.

In 1998, Johnson worked as a Truman Scholar in the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. In 2003, he became a Senior Policy Advisor to Governor Mike Rounds. He then won elected office himself - serving on the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission from January 2005 to January 2011. Despite being re-elected in 2010, he left the position to become Chief of Staff to Governor Dennis Daugaard. He held that role from January 2011 to November 2014.

After resigning from the Daugaard administration, Johnson went to the private sector as Vice President of Vantage Point Solutions in Mitchell, South Dakota. In 2018, he announced his candidacy for the At-Large District after four-term Republican incumbent Kristi Noem retired to successfully run for Governor. He won the Republican primary by a 46.8-29.3-24.0 margin against Secretary of State Shantel Krebs and State Senator Neal Tapio. He retained the seat for his party with a 60.4-36.0 victory against Democrat Tim Bjorkman in the general election. He has served for four terms in office.

During the 119th Congress, Johnson serves on the House Committees on Agriculture; Transportation and Infrastructure; and the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. Furthermore, he chairs the Agriculture Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development. Since January 2023, he has also been the Chair of the Republican Main Street Partnership.

Johnson becomes the fifth member departing the Agriculture panel - joining Republicans Don Bacon of Nebraska, Randy Feenstra of Iowa, and John Rose of Tennessee as well as Democrat Angie Craig of Minnesota. Moreover, he is the second member leaving the Transportation committee - alongside Democrat Chris Pappas of New Hampshire. And finally, he becomes the fourth member exiting the China panel - joining Republican Andy Barr of Kentucky as well as Democrats Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois and Haley Stevens of Michigan.

Earlier this year, Rhoden was elevated to Governor of South Dakota after Noem was confirmed as Secretary of Homeland Security. As such, state Republicans have treated the primary as an open race. In addition to Johnson, the GOP primary includes businessman Toby Doeden and State House Speaker Jon Hansen. Meanwhile, college student Robert Arnold has the Democratic primary to himself for now.

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley was also expected to launch a second campaign for Governor. However, he has instead opted to run to succeed Johnson in the U.S. House. It’s possible he will clear the field for the nomination. Nevertheless, the winner of the Republican primary will become the heavy favorite to become the next U.S. Representative here. No Democrats have yet expressed interest in pursuing their party’s nomination.

During the 2024 presidential election, Republican Donald Trump won South Dakota with a 63.4-34.2 finish against Democrat Kamala Harris. On the same ballot, Johnson was re-elected with a 72.0-28.0 victory against Democrat Sheryl Johnson for his final term in office.