South Dakota Secretary of State Endorses Democratic Opponent

Republican Secretary of State Monae Johnson endorsed Democratic nominee Terrence Davis to succeed her in the November 3 general election. Johnson, who lost her primary race in June to State Representative Heather Baxter, published the endorsement in a column on the South Dakota War College blog, citing the need to protect the integrity, stability, and professionalism of the office.

Johnson's endorsement marks a shift in her political positioning. Although she previously refused to acknowledge Joseph Biden's 2020 victory and won her 2022 election with support from hand-count activists, she later implemented audits that confirmed the accuracy of machine-counting tabulators. In her endorsement, she criticized the provocation and election tactics of members of her own party, though she did not explicitly name Baxter.

Heather Baxter, who won the Republican nomination with 59 percent of the delegate vote, responded by describing the primary result as self-government in action. Baxter emphasized that the party affiliation beside a candidate's name represents a governing philosophy that voters must consider. Terrence Davis, a former state trooper, would be the first Democrat to hold the office in 47 years and the first Black person to do so. The race also includes Libertarian nominee Tamara Lesnar.