Public Utilities Commission race heating up with candidacies of Don Haggar, Jim Mehlhaff; Amanda Radke also considered potential candidate
PIERRE, S.D. – At least two notable Mount Rushmore State Republicans will battle for the same spot on South Dakota’s utility regulatory authority.
And a third who’s been a vocal critic of carbon sequestration pipelines governed by the Public Utilities Commission could also be in the mix ahead of next year’s election.
Former legislator Don Haggar earlier this year declared his candidacy for the PUC, the first to launch a campaign to earn the GOP nomination for the regulatory office that will be decided at the South Dakota Republican Party Convention next summer.
He’s expected to face Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff, a former PUC staffer who has served in the Legislature since 2023. Hailing from Pierre, the 59 year old confirmed that although he has not yet filed paperwork to become a candidate, he intends to pursue a PUC seat up for grabs due to the retirement of longtime Public Utilities Commissioner Gary Hanson.
“I am focused on my Senate duties right now. We have two pretty big jobs to accomplish — the prison issue, and we’re working on a property tax plan to deliver property tax relief,” Mehlhaff said. “I’m busy and focused on that, but I can walk and chew gum at the same time.”
Meanwhile, Mitchell-area farmer and motivational speaker Amanda Radke is also considering a run.
The three Republicans are vying for the seat Hanson has held since 2003. The Sioux Falls Republican and former mayor is retiring, leaving open one of three spots on the commission that regulates energy, telecommunications and grain warehouses.
While the authority is traditionally low-profile, the 2026 contest for the open PUC seat is likely to draw more attention than usual.
“Pipelines and the Green New Deal have maybe elevated the awareness about what the PUC does. It has a heightened significance today because of the impact it has on the everyday South Dakotan,” said Haggar, 68. “The PUC plays an important role in our state. We’ve been very fortunate to have a well-run PUC and they do a good job executing on the statutes that the Legislature puts in place.”
Though Radke has yet to commit to a run, the 35-year-old told The Scout that it’s a possibility.
“My family and I are prayerfully considering how I can best serve South Dakota, and at this time, I am discerning the best course forward. In the meantime, I remain steadfast in my commitment to advocate for family farms and ranches,” said Radke, whose profile in South Dakota politics has risen due to her involvement in the state’s property rights movement, driven by anti-carbon pipeline and anti-eminent domain sentiment.
Radke’s staunch opposition to transmission lines for carbon dioxide — like those planned by Summit Carbon Solutions — is a stark contrast to Mehlhaff, who has emerged as a pipeline-friendly legislator in recent years.
And though being considered an ally of pipeline sequestration companies has proved detrimental in recent election cycles for Republicans in South Dakota, Mehlhaff said he doesn’t think it will be an insurmountable political liability as he looks to sway GOP convention delegates to support his candidacy.
“Even though I was openly opposed to House Bill 1052, I didn’t use my leadership to pervert the process… I let the chips fall where they may,” he said, referring to legislation that no longer entitled carbon sequestration pipelines to eminent domain powers.
He also noted that he led legislative efforts to preserve the ability for political parties to choose candidates for attorney general, lieutenant governor and secretary of state via a convention, when a contingent of GOP lawmakers wanted to move nominations for those contests to a primary election.
“They respect me for my even-handedness, and that’s what you need in the PUC — someone who is fair and even-handed and allows the process to work without putting the thumb on the scale,” he said.
Haggar, who has led the conservative advocacy group Americans for Prosperity in South Dakota, declined to say whether he supported House Bill 1052 or whether Radke and Mehlhaff’s stances on pipelines and eminent domain compromise their ability to weigh future carbon pipeline applications. He said generally it would be improper for a commissioner to engage in proceedings on issues where they’ve already taken a public position.
“I’m not going to express a firm position in support or opposition to a number of significant issues because my concern would be that I would end up being recused and not able to participate in hearings on those issues,” said Haggar, a Sioux Falls resident who served in the Legislature from 2013 to 2017.
Both Haggar and Mehlhaff said their experience equips them to provide steady leadership at a time when energy issues are under scrutiny.
Haggar emphasized his conservative governance approach and focus on economic development.
“In my time in the Legislature, and candidly, much of my time in this position has been advocating conservative positions across the board, protecting property rights but making sure that we have a business climate in the state that is attractive and leads to economic development,” he said, also highlighting his energy priorities: reliability, abundance and affordability.
Mehlhaff will lean on his decades of experience with the PUC and in other roles where decisions regarding long-term planning, utilities and policy have been made.
“I’ve spent a lot of time studying issues that they deal with. As city commissioner for 12 years, we did substation, transfer station, and made a deal with Eastern Electric to build another substation that belongs to them,” said Mehlhaff, who spent almost 15 years with the PUC handling telecom, gas, electric and territorial disputes. “I’ve had a lot of experience dealing with utilities.”
The Republican nominee for PUC will be chosen at the state GOP convention in June 2026.