US Rep. Dusty Johnson announces he's entering race to become South Dakota governor

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – South Dakota's lone subordinate of the U.S. House, Republican Dusty Johnson, announced Monday that helium volition tally for politician successful the 2026 election, ending a six-year tenure successful Congress and perchance facing disconnected against the incumbent governor.

Johnson's bureau issued a quality merchandise announcing his plans soon earlier helium was acceptable to talk astatine a Sioux Falls hotel.

Johnson has served arsenic South Dakota’s lone congressman since 2019, succeeding Kristi Noem's legislature tenure, and has taken mean stances during his clip successful Washington. He has supported antitrust authorities and opposed the Respect for Marriage Act, which codified the Supreme Court's national designation of cheery marriage.

He sometimes joined a number of Republicans successful voting against President Donald Trump, including erstwhile helium voted to override Trump’s veto of a measurement that revoked his declaration of an exigency astatine the confederate border. He was aboriginal 1 of 35 House Republicans who voted to found a committee to analyse the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.

Now the 48-year-old aims to go the archetypal elected politician since Noem, who utilized her clip successful Pierre to physique a nationalist illustration and gully attraction to the small-population Midwest state. Noem has since go Trump's caput of Homeland Security, leaving her presumption successful January which was filled by existent politician Larry Rhoden.

Johnson is entering what could beryllium a crowded Republican superior adjacent June, competing against authorities Rep. Jon Hansen, an Aberdeen businessman who championed a landowner question against a c seizure pipeline. Johnson whitethorn besides beryllium challenged by Rhoden, though the second has not yet announced a gubernatorial campaign.

Johnson archetypal entered nationalist bureau erstwhile helium was elected to beryllium a nationalist utilities commissioner successful 2004 and became the youngest commissioner successful the federation astatine property 28. He aboriginal served arsenic main of unit for South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard.

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