SOUTH DAKOTA (South Dakota Searchlight) – Dan Ahlers, the executive director of the South Dakota Democratic Party, officially launched his campaign for governor on Tuesday at the Siouxland Downtown Library in Sioux Falls.

“As governor, I’ll bring the same determination I’ve used my entire career looking for common ground, respecting differences and delivering results,” Ahlers said in a news release. “South Dakota works best when we work together.”

Ahlers said he has experience running a small business. He also served six years in the Legislature, 12 years as president and interim administrator of the Dell Rapids Chamber of Commerce, and 11 years as president of the Haven before- and afterschool program. He was South Dakota’s Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in 2020, when he lost to incumbent Republican Sen. Mike Rounds.

Other potential Democratic candidates for governor this year are Robert Arnold, a college student from Pierre who announced during the summer that he intends to seek the Democratic nomination, and Anthony Sitter of Aberdeen, who has formed an “Anthony Sitter for Governor” campaign finance committee.

Prospective Democratic candidates have until the end of March to collect the required 1,232 nominating petition signatures from registered South Dakota voters to earn a place on the ballot. If multiple candidates gather enough signatures, they’ll face off in the June 2 primary election to determine the party’s nominee. The general election is Nov. 3.

Four Republicans have declared their campaigns for that party’s nomination for governor: Gov. Larry Rhoden, U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden and state House Speaker Jon Hansen.

Allison Renville, a community activist and member of the Native American tribe known as the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, announced in October that she plans to run as an independent.

Republicans have won every election for governor in South Dakota since 1978.