Rhoden’s Rise in South Dakota | Pierre News

South Dakota just pulled off its first-ever statewide Republican governor runoff, and it was a political thriller: Toby Doeden, an unknown businessman, surged in the primary, only to be crushed in the runoff by Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden — the surprise beneficiary of Kristi Noem’s resignation. Rhoden, with far less cash than rivals Dusty Johnson and Doeden, built momentum by delivering tangible policy wins on pipelines, prisons, and tax relief, proving substance beats spending. Doeden’s Trump-style antics and dismissal of polls backfired badly. Now, Rhoden faces a Democratic challenger in a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat to the governor’s office in 50 years — but this race shows politics is never predictable. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/cadb58383c37d664