South Dakota GOP Gubernatorial Runoff Set for July 28 Between Rhoden and Doeden

South Dakota is holding a runoff election on July 28, 2026, between Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden and challenger Toby Doeden for the party's gubernatorial nomination, marking the state's first-ever GOP gubernatorial runoff. This follows the state's primary election, which took place on June 2, 2026. The broader South Dakota gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial general election is scheduled for November 3, 2026; under state process, the gubernatorial nominee is selected through the primary process and subsequently chooses a running mate for lieutenant governor. The runoff race has centered substantially on competing property tax elimination proposals from the two candidates. Doeden has pledged to phase out property taxes on owner-occupied homes within a three-to-four-year timeframe. Rhoden, meanwhile, has pointed to his record on the issue, citing Senate bills 96 and 245, which he says reduced owner-occupied property taxes by 34%. The immediate next confirmed step is the July 28 runoff vote, which will determine the Republican nominee for governor ahead of the November 3 general election. Details on the eventual Republican nominee's running mate selection, the identity of opposing party candidates, and the runoff's ultimate outcome are not established in the available reporting and remain unresolved.