Aberdeen man considers Republican primary challenge to Rep. Dusty Johnson

An Aberdeen businessman says he has formed a committee to consider a run against U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson in the June Republican primary election.

The Toby Doeden for Congress Exploratory Committee issued a news release and a YouTube video over the weekend characterizing Doeden as more closely aligned with former President Donald Trump than Johnson.

“Dusty is a career politician who campaigns on conservative values, but as soon as he’s elected, he scampers back to Washington, where he acts like a liberal, talks like a liberal, and worst of all, votes like a liberal,” Doeden said in a news release.

A campaign spokesperson for Johnson responded with a statement from the congressman.

“My record speaks for itself. I’m proud of the work I’ve done in the last five years to secure our border, cut spending, and fix a very broken Washington, D.C.”

Johnson has won several past Republican primary races. He won a three-way race in 2018 for the party’s nomination to succeed then-Rep. Kristi Noem, who left the U.S. House to become governor. In the 2020 primary election, Johnson beat Republican challenger Liz May, 77% to 23%. In the 2022 primary, Johnson beat Republican challenger Taffy Howard 59% to 40%.

Johnson’s campaign finance committee had $3.28 million on hand as of the end of September.

Doeden is listed on the website of the Aberdeen Chrysler Center as a “dealer principal.” He is also listed as president on the website of the Doeden Investment Group, and as founder on the website of the 4J Foundation, a nonprofit billed as supporting the safety and well-being of children and domestic pets.