In great primary news, District 3 in Aberdeen has rejected its Republican old guard and nominated an all-new slate of legislators.
In a rematch of the 2024 Senate primary, Katie Washnok came roaring back to oust Senator Carl Perry. While Perry beat Washnok by 112 votes in 2024, 52.2% to 47.8%, Washnok swamped Perry last night by 1,065 votes, 63.5% to 36.5%. Perhaps surprisingly, 57% more District 3 Republicans—1,437 more!—cast ballots in yesterday’s Washnok/Perry contest than in 2024, when Trump was on the ballot to stoke enthusiasm. Washnok more than doubled her 2024 vote count, while Perry only boosted his vote count by 10%.
That increased turnout also turned out the longest-tenured currently serving legislator, Representative Al Novstrup. After twelve largely unproductive terms in Pierre, AI-dependent Novstrup finally lost his touch with the Aberdeen Republican electorate. Political newcomers Spencer Sommers and Timothy Hanigan placed first and second at 32% and 29%, respectively. Novstrup placed a weak third at 23%. Useless Trumpist schlub Kaleb Weis, who stumbled through two terms in the House for District 2 before his own party gerrymandered him out of the Legislature, saved Novstrup from complete embarrassment by finishing in last place at a dismal 16%.
Washnok, Sommers, and Hanigan ran together with an emphasis on economic development and all serve together on the Aberdeen Development Corporation Board of DIrectors.
Washnok faces no opposition in the general election, so she will grace the Senate floor as District 3’s Senator next January. Democratic candidate Erin Ronayne Rudner is on the District 3 House ballot, so one of the Republican nominees is guaranteed a House seat, but Sommers and Hanigan still have to fight until November.