Where Sioux Falls candidates stand on health care and retirement
31 sourced statements in 16 races. Every candidate in each race is listed, including those with nothing on record. Nobody is scored or ranked.
U.S. Senate
- Mike Rounds (Republican, incumbent)
Retirement benefits: Rounds says he supports protecting Social Security and Medicare and favors reforms to keep the programs solvent without cutting benefits. (On the Issues — Mike Rounds for Senate)
- Brian L Bengs (Independent)
Health care: Bengs opposes privatizing Social Security, Medicare and veterans’ care, and supports a staged overhaul of health care. (Brian Bengs for U.S. Senate)
U.S. House, South Dakota's at-large district
- Marty Jackley (Republican)
Healthcare: He said healthcare affordability should be addressed by encouraging private-sector competition, rather than government-funded healthcare, and supported sending federal funds to states to upgrade health infrastructure. (Rapid City Post)
- Nicole "Nikki" Gronli (Democratic)
Health care: She has called for a $35 cap on insulin, stronger federal support for childcare and early learning, and protecting Medicaid and Medicare. (South Dakota Public Broadcasting)
Rural services: Her campaign focuses on public education and rural health care, and she has called for legislation supporting and expanding tribal law enforcement, Indian Health Services, and tribal colleges and universities. (South Dakota News Watch)
State Senate, District 10
- Michael Dupic (Republican)
Childcare: He said reviewing childcare regulations to make services more efficient and lower costs could be considered. (KELOLAND News)
Campaign priorities: His campaign lists property rights and agriculture, mental-health and addiction services, rural health-care access, public safety, and quality education among its priorities. (Michael Dupic for South Dakota Senate)
- Liz Larson (Democratic, incumbent)
No public statement found in our sources.
State Senate, District 11
- Chris Karr (Republican, incumbent)
No public statement found in our sources.
- Aaron Matson (Democratic)
Legislative priorities: He named affordability, data centers, and education as priorities. He said affordability could include reducing childcare or housing costs and removing the sales tax on food; he also emphasized protecting residents’ rights and interests regarding hyperscale data centers and fully funding education. (KELOLAND)
State Senate, District 15
- Brenda Lawrence (Republican)
No public statement found in our sources.
- Erik Muckey (Democratic)
Healthcare: He lists support for healthcare access, including limiting insurers’ ability to take back claims they have already paid and supporting interstate licensing compacts for physician assistants and respiratory care professionals. (Erik Muckey for District 15 — Voting Record & Key Issues)
Governor of South Dakota
- Larry Rhoden (Republican, incumbent)
No public statement found in our sources.
- Dan Ahlers (Democratic)
Health care: Ahlers says he would work to keep rural hospitals open and long-term-care facilities thriving, address health-care workforce shortages, and expand mental-health services. (Issues | Ahlers for Governor)
Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota
- Tony Venhuizen (Republican, incumbent)
No public statement found in our sources.
- Steven McCleerey (Democratic)
Health care: McCleerey said the ticket wants to find solutions to health-care challenges, including maternal and infant care and nursing-home care. (Democratic lt. governor candidate aims to add ag, healthcare focus to ticket)
State Senate, District 17
- Sydney Davis (Republican, incumbent)
Rural healthcare: Her profile notes she has championed reducing prior-authorization red tape for rural clinics. (Sensible South Dakota candidate profile)
House of Representatives, District 9 (two seats)
- Tesa Schwans (Republican, incumbent)
No public statement found in our sources.
- Megan Tschetter (Republican)
No public statement found in our sources.
- Amanda Potter (Democratic)
Health care: She supports protecting the ability of people to make health-care decisions with their doctors, rather than having those decisions made by legislators. (South Dakota Public Broadcasting)
House of Representatives, District 10 (two seats)
- Kimberly Petterson (Republican)
No public statement found in our sources.
- John Pohlman (Republican)
No public statement found in our sources.
- Adam Bair (Democratic)
Health and schools: He identifies affordable healthcare and strong schools as priorities for his campaign. (Adam Bair campaign website)
- Kathleen Brudvig (Democratic)
Childcare: She would be interested in pursuing universal pre-K and supports finding ways for the state to help offset childcare costs for families. (Should S.D. chip in for childcare? We asked statehouse candidates)
House of Representatives, District 11 (two seats)
- Brian Mulder (Republican, incumbent)
Childcare: He has supported childcare-related legislation but said the state’s first obligation should remain funding the statutory public-school increase before adding other programs. (Meet the Dist. 11 folks who want to represent you in Pierre)
- Keri Weems (Republican, incumbent)
Childcare: She supports childcare assistance and preschool, and said workforce and childcare spaces should be available. (Meet the Dist. 11 folks who want to represent you in Pierre)
- Sonja Mentzer (Democratic)
No public statement found in our sources.
- Tracey Quint (Libertarian)
Childcare: She supports pre-K and preschool and supports finding ways to help working parents afford childcare. (Meet the Dist. 11 folks who want to represent you in Pierre)
House of Representatives, District 12 (two seats)
- Amber Arlint (Republican, incumbent)
Childcare: She said South Dakota has a childcare supply-and-demand problem and that regulations should make it easier to do business in the sector. She also pointed to early preschool and public-private partnerships as possible ways to support childcare. (S.F. Simplified)
- Kerry Loudenslager (Republican)
Childcare: He is open to considering assistance to subsidize preschool, after-school care and childcare, while saying he is not yet sure which approach is right. (S.F. Simplified)
- Stephanie Arne (Democratic)
Healthcare: She identified accessible healthcare, including Medicaid and mental-health services, as an issue for the Legislature to address. (South Dakota Public Broadcasting)
House of Representatives, District 14 (two seats)
- Taylor Rae Rehfeldt (Republican, incumbent)
Family and health: In a response about the 2026 legislative session, she said her focus remains strengthening families and communities through access to quality healthcare, support for parents and children, and safe neighborhoods. (Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce)
Campaign priorities: Her campaign identifies healthcare policy, child protection, and combating the opioid crisis as areas of focus. (Taylor Rehfeldt campaign website)
- Tyler Tordsen (Republican)
No public statement found in our sources.
- Erinn Williams (Democratic)
Childcare: She supports state help for before- and after-school care and preschool, including income-based childcare subsidies. (Sioux Falls Simplified, Should S.D. chip in for childcare?)
House of Representatives, District 15 (two seats)
- Kadyn Wittman (Democratic, incumbent)
Childcare: She supports state subsidies for childcare and preschool, including universal pre-K. (Sioux Falls Simplified, Should S.D. chip in for childcare?)
- Joni Tschetter (Republican)
No public statement found in our sources.
- Andre Zachariahs (Republican)
Childcare: He suggested low- or zero-interest loans to help expand childcare capacity, such as renovating or creating provider space. (Sioux Falls Simplified, Should S.D. chip in for childcare?)
- June CopperStad (Democratic)
Childcare: She supports using public funds for childcare and preschool, describing childcare as a public need. (Sioux Falls Simplified, Should S.D. chip in for childcare?)
House of Representatives, District 16 (two seats)
- John Shubeck (Republican, incumbent)
Childcare funding: He said the state likely cannot fund preschool without more taxpayer revenue, noting that local schools have found ways to provide it and that the state budget is lean. (Sioux Falls Simplified)
- Lisa Bogue (Republican)
No public statement found in our sources.
- Tim Rhead (Democratic)
No public statement found in our sources.
House of Representatives, District 18 (two seats)
- Mike Stevens (Republican, incumbent)
No public statement found in our sources.
- John Marquardt (Republican)
Local services: He identifies public safety, health care and emergency medical services, agriculture and water, and economic development among his priorities. (South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Meet the Candidates: John Marquardt (2026))
- Jarod Holcomb (Democratic)
No public statement found in our sources.
- Karen Springer (Democratic)
Childcare: Supports state funding incentives for daycare centers and grants for in-home daycares to expand affordable childcare. (Springer for South Dakota)
Background: Springer is retired from the Air Force and works as a substitute teacher. Her campaign site says she served in the Air Force for 22 years; a 2026 local profile says she first visited Yankton in November 2017. (SDPB, Meet the Candidates: Karen Springer)