South Dakota Searchlight
U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-South Dakota, has opened up a bigger lead in the race for the Republican nomination for governor, according to new poll results.
The poll, commissioned by South Dakota News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy, shows Johnson with 34% support, followed by state House Speaker Jon Hansen at 18%, Gov. Larry Rhoden and businessman Toby Doeden each at 17%, and 14% undecided.
Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy conducted the survey of 500 registered Republican voters in the state April 7-11.
Besides a wider lead for Johnson, who came into the race with the highest name recognition and most campaign funds, the new results indicate a negative trend for Rhoden, relatively unchanged results for Doeden, and a rise for Hansen since the last poll results from the same groups. Rhoden, the former lieutenant governor, is serving the remainder of former Gov. Kristi Noem’s term after she resigned in January 2025 to work for President Donald Trump’s administration.
In October, the same groups released poll results of Johnson 28%, Rhoden 27%, Doeden 15% and Hanson 10% with 21% undecided. Last April, the results were Johnson 28%, Rhoden 27%, state Attorney Marty Jackley (who has since become a candidate for U.S. House rather than governor) 18%, Doeden 4% and Hansen 2% with 20% undecided.
Separately, results from a KELOLAND-commissioned Emerson College Polling survey in March were Johnson 28%, Doeden 18%, Rhoden 17%, Hansen 14% and 23% undecided.
The primary election is June 2. The top vote-getter in the Republican primary for governor needs 35% support to avoid a top-two runoff. The winner advances to the Nov. 3 general election, in which the only other candidate for governor so far is Dan Ahlers, a Democrat who is unopposed for his party’s nomination.