The announcement confirms what many throughout the state have expected for months, if not years. He joins a growing field in the Republican primary slated for June of 2026.

GOP Rep. Dusty Johnson entered the race Monday for South Dakota governor, as Gov. Larry Rhoden (R) has yet to announce whether he will run for reelection. “South Dakota is a special place where hard work, conservative common sense and firm handshakes are a way of life,” Johnson says in an ad posted on YouTube.

With just under a year to go before the 2026 primary election, Republican political dominoes have begun to fall in.