United States Senator
South Dakota. Election Day was Nov. 3, 2026. Two candidates are on the official list.
Who is running
Brian L BengsINDUnited States Senator- Raised
- $1.9M
- Cash on hand
- $70K
Mike RoundsREPUnited States Senator- Raised
- $3.8M
- Cash on hand
- $1.3M
- In Congress since
- 2015
- Votes attended
- 91.8%
Candidate list published by South Dakota Secretary of State, as of Oct 15, 2026. Official list
Names and parties are copied exactly from the official list. Blue marks Democrats, red marks Republicans, and gray marks every other party or none; each is also labeled in words.
Worth knowing
- The party winning this Senate seat last changed in 2014, when Mike Rounds (Republican) won it after a Democratic win in 2008. Source: Federal Election Commission, Federal Elections and MIT Election Data and Science Lab, U.S. Senate statewide 1976-2024 and Clerk of the House of Representatives, Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election
- The closest result we hold for this Senate seat was in 2002: Tim Johnson won by 532 votes, 0.2 points of all votes counted. Source: MIT Election Data and Science Lab, U.S. Senate statewide 1976-2024
- Three different people won the eight regular elections for this Senate seat from 1978 to 2020. Source: Federal Election Commission, Federal Elections and MIT Election Data and Science Lab, U.S. Senate statewide 1976-2024 and Clerk of the House of Representatives, Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election
- A candidate with the same name as the 2020 winner, Mike Rounds, is on the 2026 official list. Source: Federal Election Commission, Federal Elections
- In the 2024 presidential race, the Republican ticket carried South Dakota by 29.2 points. The same party has carried it in every presidential race we hold since 1976. Source: MIT Election Data and Science Lab, U.S. President 1976 to 2024
- Two candidates are on the official list for this race. Source: Official list from South Dakota Secretary of State
Each fact is worked out from the official records linked beside it. None is a prediction or a rating.
Past results
- Democratic candidate
- Republican candidate
Regular elections for this Senate seat only. Special elections are on the Senate results page.
Data table: Share of the vote for this Senate seat, 1978 to 2020
| Year | Democratic candidate | Republican candidate |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 33.16% | 66.84% |
| 1984 | 25.51% | 74.49% |
| 1990 | 45.07% | 52.39% |
| 1996 | 51.32% | 48.68% |
| 2002 | 49.62% | 49.47% |
| 2008 | 62.49% | 37.51% |
| 2014 | 29.51% | 50.37% |
| 2020 | 34.26% | 65.74% |
Source: Federal Election Commission, Federal Elections and MIT Election Data and Science Lab, U.S. Senate statewide 1976-2024 and Clerk of the House of Representatives, Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election. As of Nov 2, 2026.
Winners and margins, 1978 to 2020
| Year | Most votes | Margin over the runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Mike Rounds (Republican) | 132,245 votes (31.5 points) |
| 2014 | Mike Rounds (Republican) | 58,285 votes (20.9 points) |
| 2008 | Tim Johnson (Democratic) | 95,105 votes (25.0 points) |
| 2002 | Tim Johnson (Democratic) | 532 votes (0.2 points) |
| 1996 | Tim Johnson (Democratic) | 8,579 votes (2.6 points) |
| 1990 | Larry Pressler (Republican) | 18,955 votes (7.3 points) |
| 1984 | Larry Pressler (Republican) | 154,639 votes (49.0 points) |
| 1978 | Larry Pressler (Republican) | 86,065 votes (33.7 points) |
See every Senate result in South Dakota
- Democratic ticket
- Republican ticket
Data table: How South Dakota voted for president, 1976 to 2024
| Year | Democratic ticket | Republican ticket |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 48.91% | 50.39% |
| 1980 | 31.69% | 60.53% |
| 1984 | 36.53% | 63% |
| 1988 | 46.51% | 52.85% |
| 1992 | 37.14% | 40.66% |
| 1996 | 43.03% | 46.49% |
| 2000 | 37.56% | 60.3% |
| 2004 | 38.44% | 59.91% |
| 2008 | 44.75% | 53.16% |
| 2012 | 39.87% | 57.89% |
| 2016 | 31.74% | 61.53% |
| 2020 | 35.61% | 61.77% |
| 2024 | 34.24% | 63.43% |
Source: MIT Election Data and Science Lab, U.S. President 1976 to 2024. As of Nov 2, 2026.
Map
- D = Democratic ticket carried the state
- R = Republican ticket carried the state
- No figure
Each state is one equal square, so a small state is as easy to see as a large one. The group is written on each tile and in the table, not only shown by colour.
Data table: How each state voted for president in 2024, with South Dakota outlined
| State | Group |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Alaska | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Arizona | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Arkansas | Republican ticket carried the state |
| California | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| Colorado | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| Connecticut | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| Delaware | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| District of Columbia | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| Florida | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Georgia | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Hawaii | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| Idaho | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Illinois | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| Indiana | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Iowa | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Kansas | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Kentucky | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Louisiana | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Maine | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| Maryland | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| Massachusetts | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| Michigan | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Minnesota | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| Mississippi | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Missouri | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Montana | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Nebraska | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Nevada | Republican ticket carried the state |
| New Hampshire | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| New Jersey | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| New Mexico | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| New York | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| North Carolina | Republican ticket carried the state |
| North Dakota | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Ohio | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Oklahoma | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Oregon | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| Pennsylvania | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Rhode Island | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| South Carolina | Republican ticket carried the state |
| South Dakota | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Tennessee | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Texas | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Utah | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Vermont | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| Virginia | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| Washington | Democratic ticket carried the state |
| West Virginia | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Wisconsin | Republican ticket carried the state |
| Wyoming | Republican ticket carried the state |
Source: MIT Election Data and Science Lab, U.S. President 1976 to 2024. As of Nov 2, 2026.
Campaign money
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand | Through |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian L Bengs | $1.9M | $1.8M | $70K | Oct 14, 2026 |
| Mike Rounds | $3.8M | $4.4M | $1.3M | Oct 14, 2026 |
Each candidate's own reports to the Federal Election Commission, through the date shown. Candidates not listed have no FEC totals tied to them on our records. Each name links to the candidate's FEC page.
Headlines that name a candidate in this race
- Republican Mike Rounds wins reelection to U.S. Senate from South Dakota
- Sen. Mike Rounds wins reelection in South Dakota
- Mike Rounds Headed for Easy Win in South Dakota
- Mike Rounds Leads in South Dakota Senate Race
- Mike Rounds Appears Safe in South Dakota Senate Race
- Ranchers Say Trump’s Beef Imports Have GOP Senator Mike Rounds ‘Treading Water’ In South Dakota
- Brian Bengs is hoping to be the next Independent U.S. Senator representing South Dakota
- Brian Bengs: How An Independent Candidate Is Good for South Dakota | That Trippi Show
- How An Independent Candidate is Good for South Dakota with Brian Bengs
Headlines are shown as each outlet published them, with a link to the outlet. A headline appears here only when it names a candidate's full name and the state, or comes from a newsroom in the state. They are the outlets' reporting, not Power & Politics findings.
Other races on the same ballot
Federal and statewide contests in South Dakota · 8
Every contest on the South Dakota ballot · Local races in South Dakota