HURON, S.D. – South Dakota Gubernatorial candidates Larry Rhoden (R) and Dan Ahlers (D) will respond to primarily agriculture-focused questions during a gubernatorial debate hosted by South Dakota Farmers Union in the Freedom Tent during the South Dakota State Fair, Saturday, Sept. 5 at 1 p.m.

“It is important that we all hear from candidates what their policy will be when it comes to agriculture,” said Doug Sombke, President of South Dakota Farmers Union and a fourth-generation Brown County farmer. “With the extreme weather conditions and high fuel and fertilizer costs, it’s been a challenging growing season for many agriculture producers. We are all eager to understand what our state’s leaders plan to do to support these families.”

Both candidates accepted Farmers Union’s invitation to debate.

“As a grassroots organization South Dakota Farmers Union has a long history of hosting gubernatorial debates at the South Dakota State Fair,” said Karla Hofhenke, Executive Director for South Dakota Farmers Union. “This debate is a good opportunity for family farmers and ranchers to learn a candidate’s stance on the policies that impact them.”

Currently, this debate is one of only two scheduled. The second is scheduled for 8 p.m. Central, 7 p.m. Mountain on Sept. 28, and will take place at the South Dakota Public Broadcasting studio in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in partnership with South Dakota News Watch.

Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden won the nomination to be his party’s candidate after finishing second in a four-way primary on June 2, and then defeating Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden in a July 28 runoff.
The general election will take place on Nov. 3. 

Rhoden is seeking to be elected governor for the first time. The former lieutenant governor assumed the governorship in January of 2025, when then-Gov. Kristi Noem took a job with President Donald Trump’s administration. 

He is running with his lieutenant governor, Tony Venhuizen. 

Democrat Dan Ahlers, a former lawmaker from Dell Rapids, selected former state lawmaker Steven McCleerey to run with him for lieutenant governor.

In a press release announcing Rhoden’s intention to participate in the two debates, Venhuizen preemptively challenged Ahlers’ running mate to a debate.

Ahlers, who said he’d accepted the invitations for the two debates, said his running mate is prepared to debate Venhuizen.