Race Analysis

South Dakota is by some historical measures the nation’s most Republican state. From the time of its admission to the union (1889) into the 1930s, it had only a token Democratic presence in its state legislature. Even after the Great Depression gave birth to a competitive Democratic Party, Democrats only occasionally won the gubernatorial race.

The state’s Democrats today suffer from the longest gubernatorial drought in the nation, as they have not won the office since 1974.  In 2010, Republicans nominated Lt. Gov. Dennis Daugaard to succeed popular Mike Rounds, while Democrats nominated state Senate Minority Leader Scott Heidepriem. Though a solid candidate, the latter lost the race by 23 points.  State Rep. Susan Wismer seems unlikely to fare much better this year.