Dan Ahlers
Dan AhlersCandidate for Governor of South Dakota (2026)
Dan Ahlers is the executive director of the South Dakota Democratic Party, a former state legislator from Dell Rapids and the party's 2020 nominee for U.S. Senate. He is the Democratic nominee for governor of South Dakota in 2026, having been unopposed in the June 2, 2026 primary, and faces Republican Governor Larry Rhoden.
Biography
Dan Ahlers is the executive director of the South Dakota Democratic Party and a former state legislator from Dell Rapids, where he has lived for more than 20 years and has owned and operated a small business. He served six years in the South Dakota Legislature representing District 25 and sat on the Appropriations Committee. He spent 12 years as president and interim administrator of the Dell Rapids Chamber of Commerce and 11 years as president of the Haven before- and after-school program. In 2020 he was the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate and lost to Republican incumbent Mike Rounds. He announced his campaign for governor on February 9, 2026, with a public launch the next day in Sioux Falls. He was unopposed for the Democratic nomination in the June 2, 2026 primary. On August 12, 2026 he named Steven McCleerey, a farmer from Sisseton and former state legislator, as his running mate. He faces Republican Governor Larry Rhoden on November 3, 2026.
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Candidate for Governor of South Dakota (2026) is an executive office. The Baseline will not manufacture a congressional voting score for it; sourced checks, statements, and coverage appear below.
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