Jon Hansen, Rep. Karla Lems to make campaign announcement next week
Story by Joe Sneve and Jonathan Ellis. Reposted with permission from The Dakota Scout
Speaker of the South Dakota House Jon Hansen and a close legislative ally are expected to announce next week that they are seeking the governor’s mansion in 2026, making them the first entrants into the highly anticipated race.
Hansen, a Dell Rapids Republican, is scheduled to make an announcement April 24 with fellow Rep. Karla Lems at his side. It’s an indication that the Canton Republican would be Hansen’s running mate.
While he declined to confirm a gubernatorial run when contacted by The Dakota Scout Thursday, Hansen didn’t dispute it.
“We’re looking forward to this announcement and a future in South Dakota where you and your family come first, where the blessings of life and liberty are preserved, where the excessive burden of property taxes is ended, where our family farms and ranches flourish, and where our South Dakota way of life always persists,” he said.
That he and Lems would run as a pair in what is expected to be a contested Republican primary would be unusual. Typically, candidates win their primary elections, then pick a running mate going into the general election, who is then confirmed by party delegates at a convention.
But this year, lawmakers passed a law removing the lieutenant governor selection from the convention, allowing candidates to pick their own running mates.
Hansen, who is 39 and a practicing attorney, and Lems have been allies both in the House and outside the House on high profile legislation. Lems, 56, served this year as Hansen’s chief deputy – speaker pro tempore – and the two were leaders in the anti-carbon pipeline movement that saw voters successfully refer a law last year making it more difficult for carbon pipelines to site projects. Following their success in the election, the lawmakers championed a new law that stripped carbon projects from using eminent domain. Following passage of the law, Summit Carbon Solutions, the one remaining company pursuing such a project, halted its ambitions.
Hansen has also been a leader in the pro-life movement, pushing to disqualify a constitutional amendment that would have removed existing barriers to abortion in the state. Although efforts to keep the measure off the ballot failed, voters rejected legalized abortion by a wide margin.
Hansen has long been speculated as a statewide candidate for 2026, but until recently, attorney general was his mostly likely pursuit. But with last year’s electoral successes, he has political winds at his back.
Hansen would be among a pool of Republicans expected to make a bid for the seat, which technically is open in 2026. However, the early departure of former Gov. Kristi Noem to serve in the Trump administration allows Gov. Larry Rhoden to potentially play the role of incumbent.
Other potential candidates for the GOP nomination include Attorney General Marty Jackley, Congressman Dusty Johnson and Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden. Democrats are also expected to field candidates in what they hope will be an upswing following tumultuous federal polices led by the GOP-controlled administration.
Hansen has been at the tip of the spear in the tug of war between populist conservatives and more mainstream Republicans. He narrowly lost winning the House speakership in the 2023-2024 sessions after serving as the chief deputy during the previous two years. His loss pushed him out of GOP leadership.
But fueled by the carbon pipeline resistance, populist Republicans ousted nearly a dozen GOP incumbents in the 2024 primary election, going on to win seats in the general election. That gave Hansen enough support to win the speakership in 2025.
Hansen first served in the House in 2011 to 2013. He then resigned to go to law school and returned to the House in 2019.
Lems started her first term in 2023. She won a second term in November.
