After primary and runoff, Trump endorses Republican nominee for South Dakota governor

After endorsing nobody in the South Dakota Republican Party’s four-candidate primary race or top-two runoff, Republican President Donald Trump has endorsed the winner of the state party’s nomination for governor.

Trump gave his “Complete and Total Endorsement” to Gov. Larry Rhoden on Thursday in a post on Truth Social, Trump’s social media platform.

Rhoden’s only opponent in the Nov. 3 general election is the Democratic nominee, former legislator Dan Ahlers, of Dell Rapids.

Rhoden finished second to Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden in a four-way primary on June 2. Rhoden then appeared with Trump on July 3 at a Mount Rushmore fireworks display, where Rhoden and Trump both delivered speeches. Trump did not endorse Rhoden at that time. Rhoden went on to beat Doeden in the July 28 runoff election.

Rhoden thanked Trump for the endorsement in a press release Thursday, saying “I look forward to continuing to work with you and your administration to keep South Dakota strong, safe, and free!”

Ahlers responded with a statement saying, in part, that he is “happy for Larry” because “I’m sure President Trump’s endorsement means a lot to him.”

“I’m thankful for every endorsement I’ve received, but the endorsement that matters most to me is the endorsement of the people of South Dakota,” Ahlers said. “They are the people I want to earn the trust of, and they are the people I will represent as governor.”

Republican former Gov. Kristi Noem kickstarted the race for governor last year when she resigned to accept a job leading Trump’s Department of Homeland Security. Rhoden, who was Noem’s lieutenant governor, was elevated to serve as governor for the remainder of her term.