Where Sioux Falls Candidates Stand on the Issues: November 3, 2026 Election

Aaron Matson (DEM)

No public statement found in our sources.

Chris Karr (REP)

Governing principles: His campaign site lists small localized government, fiscal conservatism, individual liberty, families first, free-market economics, and protecting the Second Amendment among his stated principles. (Chris Karr for South Dakota)

Joe Zweifel (DEM)

Reproductive rights: His campaign lists protecting life and a woman’s choice among its priorities. (Zweifel for SD)

Kari Shanard-Koenders (REP)

No public statement found in our sources.

Nicole "Nikki" Gronli (DEM)

No public statement found in our sources.

Marty Jackley (REP)

Border security: Jackley says he supports border security and describes border-crossing drugs as a public-safety concern. (Marty Jackley for Congress — Where Marty stands)

Brian L. Bengs (IND)

Healthcare and government: He calls for reforming the healthcare system, including a public option, and for changing the tax code. He also proposes congressional term limits and steps to address political corruption. (Brian Bengs for U.S. Senate — policy positions)

Mike Rounds (REP, incumbent)

No public statement found in our sources.

Liz Larson (DEM)

Childcare: She supports considering state investment in early-childhood and childcare programs, saying they can contribute to economic and workforce development. (Sioux Falls Simplified)

Michael Dupic (REP)

Mental health: He said he would seek more resources for mental-health and addiction services, and described those conditions as treatable medical diseases. (SDPB)

Property and health: His listed priorities include protecting property rights and agriculture and expanding rural health-care access. (Michael Dupic campaign website)

Aaron Matson (DEM)

Childcare: He supports state funding for childcare and after-school programs, saying South Dakota should catch up with states that fund those programs. (Sioux Falls Simplified)

Chris Karr (REP)

No public statement found in our sources.

Erik Muckey (DEM)

Local priorities: Muckey says his campaign focuses on affordable housing, mental health care, economic dignity, and ensuring every South Dakotan has a voice in democracy. (Candidate campaign announcement)

Brenda Lawrence (REP)

No public statement found in our sources.

Brian L. Bengs (IND)

No public statement found in our sources.

Mike Rounds (REP, incumbent)

Education: He supports local control of education and says federal one-size-fits-all directives do not serve children well. (Mike Rounds for Senate — Issues)

Tom Cool (DEM)

Background: The party says Cool spent nearly four decades as executive director of the Council on College Admissions in South Dakota and chairs the Democratic Forum of Southeast Dakota in Sioux Falls. (South Dakota Democratic Party)

Catherine Barranco (REP)

No public statement found in our sources.

Raeann Mettler (DEM)

No public statement found in our sources.

Brock Greenfield (REP)

Education and leases: His campaign priorities include returning maximum investment returns to education and ensuring responsible utilization of land leases. (Argus Leader)

Liz Larson (DEM)

Public education: She said public education has been underfunded and that education is important to building the economy; she also criticized the growing use of school vouchers. (Sioux Falls Simplified)

Michael Dupic (REP)

No public statement found in our sources.

Aaron Matson (DEM)

Education funding: He says the Legislature should follow the state’s education-funding law and that he would use available legislative tools to help ensure it does. He describes education as a major priority. (Sioux Falls Simplified)

Chris Karr (REP)

No public statement found in our sources.

Joe Zweifel (DEM)

No public statement found in our sources.

Kari Shanard-Koenders (REP)

Safety and education: She identifies public safety, education, and property-tax relief as major priorities. She says law enforcement and the legal system need funding, and that education funding and teacher pay could improve. (Sioux Falls Simplified)

Legislative issues: The questionnaire records her support for bills protecting life, expanding educational options, protecting parental rights, and providing reasonable marijuana regulations. (Dakota Voter)

Sue Peterson (REP)

Education and veterans: She highlights expanding the South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship so more students can attend college in-state. She also points to securing funding for a state veterans cemetery in Sioux Falls and support for veterans’ technical-college tuition assistance. (Campaign website)

Campus free speech: Peterson says she sponsored legislation protecting free speech and promoting intellectual diversity on college campuses. (Campaign website)

Larry P. Zikmund (REP)

Education and workforce: Zikmund supports workforce training aligned with employers’ needs and better opportunities in K–12, technical, and post-secondary education. (Campaign website)

Erik Muckey (DEM)

No public statement found in our sources.

Brenda Lawrence (REP)

School funding: She supports investing in teacher pay, training, and retention, and updating K–12 and special-education funding formulas to reflect costs and student needs. (Vote411 candidate questionnaire)

Brian L. Bengs (IND)

No public statement found in our sources.

Mike Rounds (REP, incumbent)

Affordability and security: In a local candidate interview, Rounds emphasized affordability and national security, advocated domestic cattle-production measures through his proposed RANCH Act, and called for an endgame and national-defense strategy for the war in Iran. (Dakota News Now)

Nicole "Nikki" Gronli (DEM)

Affordability and services: The voter guide says her campaign focuses on affordability for working families, public education, and rural health care. (South Dakota News Watch — 2026 voter guide)

Marty Jackley (REP)

No public statement found in our sources.

Joe Zweifel (DEM)

Affordability: His campaign lists lowering taxes and improving affordability as a priority. (Zweifel for SD)

Kari Shanard-Koenders (REP)

Affordability and services: Her listed priorities include addressing public safety and affordability, supporting low taxes and less regulation, and improving healthcare and education in the district. (The Ballot Brief)

Erik Muckey (DEM)

No public statement found in our sources.

Brenda Lawrence (REP)

Affordability: Lawrence identifies affordability and opportunity as central challenges, citing housing costs and workforce-housing supply, childcare cost and availability, health-care access and affordability, education funding and staffing, workforce training, and mental-health and substance-use treatment capacity. (Vote411 candidate questionnaire)

Nicole "Nikki" Gronli (DEM)

No public statement found in our sources.

Marty Jackley (REP)

Public safety: The voter guide says his campaign has focused on public safety and on supporting the Trump agenda. (South Dakota News Watch — 2026 voter guide)

Dan Ahlers & Steven McCleerey (DEM)

No public statement found in our sources.

Larry Rhoden & Tony Venhuizen (REP, incumbent)

State priorities: Rhoden says his priorities are keeping South Dakota strong, safe, and free, including supporting strong families and businesses, low crime, and respect for law enforcement. (Governor Larry Rhoden campaign)

Lance Russell (REP)

Criminal justice: Russell said his campaign for attorney general is focused on addressing parole, probation, and the juvenile justice system. (KOTA-TV)

Criminal justice reforms: Searchlight reported that Russell campaigned on undoing some criminal-justice reforms he opposed while serving in the Legislature. (South Dakota Searchlight)

Brian L. Bengs (IND)

Data centers: He opposes legislation on AI-data-center development unless local communities have a clear and workable opportunity to say no. (Brian Bengs for U.S. Senate — campaign website)

Mike Rounds (REP, incumbent)

Energy: Rounds supports an all-of-the-above approach to energy production and opposes what he describes as excessive federal regulation of energy producers. (Mike Rounds for Senate — Issues)

Frank Kloucek (DEM)

Utility rates: His campaign says he supports fair utility rates, renewable energy and consumer rights. (Frank Kloucek campaign website)

Data centers: Kloucek called for a one-year moratorium on new data-center projects, saying it would give the state more time to study the issue. He also said the recently enacted state regulations lack meaningful penalties for violations. (Argus Leader)

Data centers: He has advocated a year-long moratorium on data-center development in South Dakota. (SDPB)

Don Haggar (REP)

Grid reliability: He supports investments in grid stability and infrastructure to manage peak demand and weather extremes. (Don Haggar campaign website)

Utility costs: He says he would oppose costly mandates and overregulation and promote competition to help keep utility costs low. (Don Haggar campaign website)

Liz Larson (DEM)

Data centers: Larson said she would not support new hyperscale data centers at present, citing a lack of public information and confidence about potential risks; she said she would be open to discussing them if those questions were answered. (Sioux Falls Simplified)

Michael Dupic (REP)

No public statement found in our sources.

Aaron Matson (DEM)

Data centers: He is skeptical of hyperscale data centers if they use community water or electricity without adequate safeguards. He wants protections against resource losses and higher costs for residents, while saying he is not opposed to technological advancement. (Sioux Falls Simplified)

Chris Karr (REP)

No public statement found in our sources.

Nicole "Nikki" Gronli (DEM)

Farm Bill: In the debate, Gronli said a comprehensive Farm Bill, including SNAP and farm protections, should be a priority. (SDPB — U.S. House candidates debate)

Marty Jackley (REP)

Agriculture: He has called for less federal red tape for farmers and ranchers. (South Dakota News Watch — 2026 voter guide)

Raeann Mettler (DEM)

Public lands: She supports responsible stewardship of public land, including long-term sustainability and protecting natural landscapes, native species, and water quality. (Raeann Mettler for SD)

Trust-land revenue: She says trust lands should secure fair lease value and support responsible long-term revenue, while protecting the Permanent Trust Fund principal and avoiding dependence on expanded mineral extraction. (Vote411)

Brock Greenfield (REP)

Public lands: He says his priorities are returning maximum investment dollars to K–12 and higher education, ensuring responsible use of grazing, mineral, gas and other leases, and prioritizing stewardship of public lands and dams. (Brock Greenfield campaign website)

Frank Kloucek (DEM)

No public statement found in our sources.

Don Haggar (REP)

Landowner rights: He says he would defend landowner rights by opposing eminent-domain abuse and favor infrastructure built through transparency and fair negotiation. (Don Haggar campaign website)

Nicole "Nikki" Gronli (DEM)

Tribal services: She has called for legislation supporting and expanding tribal law enforcement, Indian Health Services, and tribal colleges and universities. (South Dakota News Watch — 2026 voter guide)

Marty Jackley (REP)

No public statement found in our sources.

Terrence Davis (DEM)

Election administration: Davis says he would keep the tested, audited ballot counters currently used, with people checking the results, and continue post-election audits in every county. (Terrence Davis campaign)

Voter access: He proposes allowing 16-year-olds to preregister to vote when getting a driver’s license and keeping voting close to home, especially in rural counties. (Terrence Davis campaign)

Office operations: Davis says he would create an investigative division in the Secretary of State’s office to look into fraud, and update old systems to reduce wait times and paperwork. (Terrence Davis campaign)

Tamara J. Lesnar (LIB)

Office administration: Lesnar said her platform is based on transparency, efficiency, and having someone who knows compliance. (SDPB)

Heather Baxter (REP)

Election administration: Baxter supports paper ballots, improved hand-counting methods, robust post-election audits, and disaster-recovery plans. (Heather Baxter campaign)

Election policy: She says she supports local control and wants to protect and enforce South Dakota’s proof-of-citizenship laws. (Heather Baxter campaign)

Office services: Baxter wants to improve communication between the Secretary of State’s office and county auditors, businesses, and the public, and modernize the office website for simpler public access. (KOTA-TV)

Tom Cool (DEM)

Auditor oversight: His listed priorities include bringing decades of nonprofit executive-management experience to the auditor’s office and providing an independent check on state government. (The Ballot Brief)

Catherine Barranco (REP)

Financial oversight: She says the auditor should provide an independent check before state money leaves the treasury, and that Project BISON can improve transparency and oversight through real-time transaction access and stronger payment controls. (South Dakota Voter)

Audit review: She says she would strengthen pre-audits of claims and vouchers and use sharper review and analytics to identify waste, fraud, and inefficiency. (South Dakota Voter)

Margaret Kuipers (DEM)

Financial oversight: She says she is running to protect the state’s assets with integrity, accountability, and responsible financial oversight. (Margaret Kuipers for State Treasurer)

Melissa Hull (REP)

Department accountability: She says she would provide clear oversight and strong department accountability. (Melissa Hull for SD)

Raeann Mettler (DEM)

Transparency: She supports strengthening investment oversight, modernizing GIS and asset-management tools, and increasing transparency, accountability, and public input. (Vote411)

Brock Greenfield (REP)

No public statement found in our sources.

Aaron Matson (DEM)

No public statement found in our sources.

Chris Karr (REP)

Taxes and government: Karr says he has sponsored, co-sponsored, and supported legislation to cut taxes, shrink government, protect families, and defend constitutional rights. (Chris Karr for South Dakota)

Joe Zweifel (DEM)

Government transparency: He lists transparency and accountability in government as a priority. (Zweifel for SD)

Kari Shanard-Koenders (REP)

No public statement found in our sources.

Erik Muckey (DEM)

No public statement found in our sources.

Brenda Lawrence (REP)

Election process: She supports clearer ballot explanations, transparent reporting of campaign funding, practical petition qualification rules, secure signature verification, and consistent statewide administration. (Vote411 candidate questionnaire)

Dan Ahlers & Steven McCleerey (DEM)

No public statement found in our sources.

Larry Rhoden & Tony Venhuizen (REP, incumbent)

Taxes and spending: The campaign has focused on cutting property taxes and state spending, and promoting development of the national security industry in South Dakota. (Argus Leader)

Margaret Kuipers (DEM)

No public statement found in our sources.

Melissa Hull (REP)

Taxpayer dollars: Her campaign says she is committed to transparency and accountability with taxpayer dollars. (Melissa Hull for SD)

Fiscal responsibility: Her campaign identifies fiscal responsibility as a priority for the Treasurer’s Office. (Melissa Hull for SD)

Larry P. Zikmund (REP)

Taxes and jobs: He says South Dakota should maintain low taxes to encourage job creation and business relocation. (Campaign website)

State spending: He favors living within the state’s means, finding efficiencies, and eliminating unnecessary spending. (Campaign website)

Dan Ahlers & Steven McCleerey (DEM)

No public statement found in our sources.

Larry Rhoden & Tony Venhuizen (REP, incumbent)

Economic development: Rhoden lists continuing to build the national security industry and implementing property-tax cuts to make homeownership more affordable among his priorities. (Larry Rhoden on X)

Liz Larson (DEM)

No public statement found in our sources.

Michael Dupic (REP)

Economic growth: Dupic said he would work to remove unnecessary regulations and red tape, which he believes hinder job creation and economic growth. (SDPB)

Brian L. Bengs (IND)

Foreign policy and beef: In a local candidate interview, Bengs criticized the war in Iran as unconstitutional and without an end goal, and said he opposed foreign beef imports. (Dakota News Now)

Mike Rounds (REP, incumbent)

No public statement found in our sources.

Terrence Davis (DEM)

No public statement found in our sources.

Tamara J. Lesnar (LIB)

Public participation: Lesnar’s platform includes creating a statewide anonymous online portal where South Dakotans could cast mock ballots on pending state and federal bills. (KOTA-TV)

Heather Baxter (REP)

No public statement found in our sources.

Erik Muckey (DEM)

Legislative record: Muckey’s campaign lists his legislative record and key issues, including co-sponsoring HB 1286; the page frames his priorities around representing District 15 and explaining his votes to constituents. (Campaign website)

Brenda Lawrence (REP)

No public statement found in our sources.