Tom Lawrence looks at the surge in Democrats re-registering as Republicans to vote in the July 28 Rhoden/Doeden runoff and makes the argument that these party-switchers might want to vote for Toby Doeden to help Democratic candidate Dan Ahlers:
Ahlers is a known commodity, having served in the Legislature, as the Democratic Party candidate for the Senate seat held by Mike Rounds in 2020, and as a state party official in recent years.
Who would he rather run against? A governor with a long record in Pierre, who is known as a decent man, not a firebrand who seeks confrontation and conflict?
Or a political newcomer who has been compared to President Donald Trump for his blustery, boastful manner?
Rhoden’s political and private life has been explored and reported for years. There are likely no shocking and disturbing news stories waiting to be released in the next few months.
Doeden is still a mystery to most voters. If reporters did [sic] deep enough — and they will — what might we learn about him before November?
Who would be the better — and by that, I mean easier to defeat — opponent for Ahlers?
…A lot of Democrats are willing to hold their nose and become Republicans for a brief period to try to ensure Gov. Larry Rhoden is the Republican candidate. They fear Doeden, and he may pose a big risk to our state.
But he also might be the ideal foe for Dan Ahlers. Maybe a large share of Rhoden, Johnson and Hansen supporters would cross party lines in the General Election and support Ahlers.
So, make your choice before 5 p.m. Monday. Are you willing to be a temporary Republican to help your state — or should you remain a dedicated Democrat to give your party its best chance to elect a governor in more than half a century? [Tom Lawrence, “Is Becoming a Short-Term Republican to Beat Doeden Your Best Choice?” South Dakota Standard, 2026.07.12]
Monday was the deadline for registering Republican to access the runoff ballot, so the question is no longer whether Dems and indies ought to switch to participate in the Republican runoff, but simply how those folks who have switched ought to use their vote.
I suggest keeping it simple: vote for the person who, out of the two choices on the ballot, would do the job better. If you think, as I do and as all of Doeden’s lies and bluster and utter lack of public service indicate, that Doeden would be a worse Governor than Rhoden, don’t cast a vote that would move Doeden one step closer to that office. Don’t gamble that boosting Doeden to the November ballot will inspire disappointed Rhoden/Johnson/Hansen voters to abandon the SDGOP brand and vote to elect a Democratic Governor. Don’t make yourself morally culpable for electing a guy who’d be worse than Kristi Noem at governing South Dakota just for the sake of a “strategic” vote that might improve a Democrat’s chance of winning the Governor’s chair from 20% to 30%.
Remember: Doeden should have been the weakest candidate in the June 2 GOP primary, but he spent and lied and negative-campaigned his way to beating an incumbent Governor and two sitting Republican elected officials. If you’re voting on November strategy rather than qualifications for office, you could argue that Doeden’s riches, relentlessness, and lack of restraint could make him a fiercer general election opponent to mild-mannered Ahlers than Rhoden, who will likely be tuckered out from the primary and runoff.
But hey, party-switchers: whatever you do with your July 28 run-off vote, be sure you switch your registration back to Democratic on July 29 so you can give the party you really want to win some good press and so you can sign petitions for Democratic candidates in 2028!
Well Mr. Lawrence, sometimes you get what you vote for. Don’t play with me cause your playing with fire.
CO is a “choice” state. We value it! CO voters get both party’s primary ballots (in the mail, btw). We change our minds at will. Why overwork your clerks?
No, born cheaters. You can’t mail in both. The security on mail in ballots rivals bank and investment house security. Individual bar codes, individual QR code, and personal signature are all on the mail-in envelope.
When you first register you must present id with a photo and a personal invoice showing your address, etc.
Thinking SD Republican voters would vote for the better Democrat candidate is the most magical, fly-in-the-face-of-reality thinking I have read in a quite long time.
Trump, Trump, Trump – end of story.
It looks like Rhoden will win the primary and of course the general. Would the general be closer with Doeden? Yes, but he’d still likely win by at least 5 pts.
Could be a fun general election if unaffiliated voters return the favor and help the party switchers elect Dan Ahlers.
Sure wish you had registered as a Libertarian in SoDak when grudznick told you to, Lar, as you, too, could have flipped and voted for Doeden. I expect you to deliver my polymarket winnings when I visit next month.
So choosing a “fascist light” Governor, who ruled with Kristi Noem, who signed bills making direct democracy harder, who opposes reproductive freedom, LGBTQ rights, underfunds schools, does nothing to make pre-K education and childcare more available and does all of this with a smile makes him the “morally” right choice?
I disagree entirely. Rhoden is a MAGA Republican who loves Donald Trump.
Toby Doeden cannot win a general election race in SD. Thus, voting for him in the Republican primary is no gamble. In fact, if Doeden were the nominee he would be the albatross to the SD GOP just like Marx has become in Colorado. Doeden’s win would help every single Democratic candidate on the ballot from the state legislature to all of the statewide candidates. Toby Doeden’s nomination would be the single best thing not only for the Democratic Party but for the entire State of South Dakota because it would boost the chances of candidates who believe in the rule of law, direct democracy, human rights, and affordability.
It isn’t often we disagree. I think the core of our disagreement is that I find Doeden so detestable that he’s unelectable. South Dakota needs an opposition party. I also find Rhoden as unacceptable. I could never vote for him. Democrats in office are doing amazing work but if we can’t get at least a third in each house and effectively challenge statewide candidates Republicans rule with impunity. There are no effective checks and balances. We must restore these.
I hope Toby wins the primary and shocks South Dakota to its senses. He cannot win a general election. We need a restoration of balance of power in Pierre. Toby is the best chance we’ve had combined with Dan Ahlers as a competent gubernatorial candidate.
I fear that all of this fury against Doeden and columns like Cory’s make Rhoden seem reasonable in comparison. This is likely to perpetuate the status quo.
Should Rhoden win the runoff — with the help of Democrat voters who switched for the runoff, will there be any acknowledgment that Democrats came to the aid of the circus show GOP get its house in order?
If Rhoden wins, on the back of a coalition of rational voters tips the scale from where the primary was heading, does that group get better heard on policy matters? Or will these Democrat (and more rational Republicans) learn again that you must get paid BEFORE services rendered?