Governor Larry Rhoden formalized Lieutenant Governor Tony Venhuizen‘s unquestioned status as his running mate in the 2026 election last week by filing the certification of that pick to the Secretary of State. Venhuizen now appears on the Secretary’s online list of general election candidates ampersanded to Rhoden.
As of the end of business today, Democratic candidate Dan Ahlers has not filed any such certification of his running mate. Ahlers spoke to the press last Friday as if said running mate exists:
Democrat Dan Ahlers, a former lawmaker from Dell Rapids, has yet to announce a running mate, but told South Dakota Searchlight on Friday he expects to reveal his pick “very shortly.”
In a press release announcing Rhoden’s intention to participate in the two debates, Venhuizen preemptively challenged Ahlers’ running mate to a debate.
Ahlers, who said he’d accepted the invitations for the two debates, said his running mate is prepared to debate Venhuizen [John Hult, “Candidates for South Dakota Governor Will Debate Twice in September,” South Dakota Searchlight, 2026.08.07].
Prepared to debate Venhuizen, the smartest man in South Dakota government? The list of South Dakotans meeting that criterion is awfully short, and Julian Beaudion is definitely not on it.
Whoever this unannounced intellectual powerhouse is, Ahlers has until Tuesday at 5 p.m. to submit that name to the Secretary of State. SDCL 12-5-21.1 requires that each candidate for Governor “nominate a candidate for lieutenant governor by certifying the nomination to the secretary of state no later than five p.m. central time on the second Tuesday in August in the year of the election.” Both Ahlers and his running mate need to sign that certification.
Once Ahlers files that dually signed certification, his running mare will have no chance to withdraw and be replaced, as SDCL 12-5-21.1 sets the replacement deadline as tomorrow at 5 p.m. as well.
So, Dan and mystery guest, sign that paper and get it to Pierre pronto!