Summary
- Nikki Gronli, former USDA Rural Development director, announced candidacy.
- Running for South Dakota’s lone U.S. House of Representatives seat in 2026.
- Potential first Democratic primary contender in over a decade.
- Emphasizes rural prosperity, Medicaid, agriculture, and veteran programs.
Due to Republican U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson's candidacy for governor, the House of Representatives seat will be up for grabs in the upcoming election.
Gronli will begin her campaign on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn City Centre in downtown Sioux Falls after filing her statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission on Monday morning.
Billy Mawhiney, a nonprofit executive from Sioux Falls, declared last month that he is also vying for the Democratic candidacy.
It will be the party's first U.S. House primary contest in South Dakota since 2012 if both continue to run until the primary in June of next year. In the 2020 and 2022 elections, the party did not field any candidates for the U.S. House.
Marty Jackley, the attorney general of South Dakota, has declared his desire to run for the Republican nomination. This summer, Madison-based Republican state senator Casey Crabtree submitted his declaration of candidacy to the Federal Election Commission.
This spring, Gronli and other Democrats traveled throughout South Dakota to host town hall meetings for residents who were worried about changes to federal policy under the Trump administration.
“As I traveled the state and listened to people, I realized there might be a place for me in this,”
Gronli said in an interview with South Dakota Searchlight.
“There might be an opportunity to continue to listen to them and bring forward their ideas and voices and be that voice in D.C.”
Gronli was the state director for USDA Rural Development during the Biden administration and the former vice chair of the South Dakota Democratic Party. She was in charge of funding rural community projects, including broadband, housing, and infrastructure. She is the president of the marketing firm Flatlander Strategies.
Gronli's decision to run was motivated by worries about the economy, access to healthcare, and how President Trump's trade policies were "devastating" South Dakota farmers.
“I’m watching our current elected leaders not do what’s best for South Dakota,”
Gronli said.
“I’ve decided that I need to get in this race and give people another option. We need some folks who have the courage to stand up for South Dakota families.”
In addition to Crabtree and Jackley, James Bialota, a self-described real estate investor and small business owner, has announced on Facebook that he intends to run for the U.S. House as a Republican.
Additionally, Scott Schlagel, a Democrat, has submitted applications to the Federal Election Commission to run for the position.
How might her USDA Rural Development record influence voters?
Gronli’s experience at USDA Rural Development likely communicates to rural voters that she is knowledgeable and committed to economic development, infrastructure, housing, and agricultural programs that serve as lifelines for South Dakota's rural communities. Many rural community members appreciate these programs because they contribute to local job development and enhance their quality of life as rural South Dakotans. Her experience may foster trust that she will use her leadership to advocate for rural South Dakotans.
Because Gronli has a history of carrying out federally funded programs that support rural business growth, broadband expansion, and improvements to energy efficiency, she may appeal to voters looking for practical, results-driven leadership focused on long-lasting solutions to rural issues.
Some voters and political opponents may take a skeptical approach to her record and connect it to broader criticism of USDA policy or bureaucracy.