Primary
Republican Primary
Held June 2, 2026.
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Rounds ✓ | 101,471 | 75.8% | |
| Justin McNeal | 32,412 | 24.2% |
Full calendar and every race: South Dakota primary guide
Race Overview
These polls test pre-primary pairings. The PollingSource average is an average of those polls, not a forecast.
Candidates
Mike Rounds Nominee Incumbent
RepublicanJulian C Beaudion Won Primary — Withdrew
DemocratJulian C Beaudion dropped out; the Democrat nomination is outstanding until the party names a replacement.
Average is the unweighted mean of the last three scientific public polls. Fewer than three uses the polls that exist. The rating uses that average when the newest poll ended in the last 30 days. The table lists the polls in that average, plus the most recent 30 days or the newest 3 polls, whichever is more. How accurate is each pollster? →
No polls in the last 90 days.
Questions About This Race
Who is winning the 2026 South Dakota Senate race?
Listed poll pairings are pre-primary tests, not a general-election matchup. There is no PollingSource average for a locked general pairing yet.
Is the 2026 South Dakota Senate race competitive?
No — the expert consensus rates it Safe R for Republicans.
Why is there no Democrat nominee in the 2026 South Dakota Senate race?
Julian C Beaudion dropped out; the Democrat nomination is outstanding until the party names a replacement.
When is the 2026 South Dakota Senate race decided?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
How is the PollingSource average calculated?
The PollingSource average is the unweighted mean of the last three scientific public polls, or fewer when fewer exist. One poll sets the rating when it ended in the last 30 days. We do not exclude pollsters. The table lists recent polls, including ones older than those three. Full details: pollingsource.com/methodology.
Race Notes
Two-term incumbent
Independent Expenditures Updated just now
Top Spenders
- SOUTH DAKOTA CONSERVATIVE PAC GOP-aligned $703,964
- DEFEND AMERICAN JOBS GOP-aligned $423,164
- FREEDOM FROM POLITICS, INC. Dem-aligned $293,665
- AMERICAN MISSION GOP-aligned $229,747
Full outside-spending research — every committee, every race →
Race News
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