South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden and Democratic challenger Dan Ahlers found rare common ground at their first debate of the general election season Saturday, both criticizing President Donald Trump’s decision to pause tariffs on imported beef — even as the two candidates clashed sharply on Medicaid, economic development, and state agency structure. The debate, hosted by the South Dakota Farmers Union at the State Fair’s Freedom Stage, was first reported by southdakotasearchlight.com.
Shared Criticism of Trump’s Beef Policy
Trump announced last month that he would pause tariffs on imported beef, framing the move as a way to lower consumer prices and help ranchers rebuild their herds. The decision drew swift backlash from cattle producers across the country, and both candidates in South Dakota’s gubernatorial race distanced themselves from it.
Rhoden, who received Trump’s endorsement last month, said he agrees with the president on most issues but cannot back the foreign beef import decision. He said he intends to press U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to establish an advisory committee to counsel Trump on the matter.
Ahlers argued this was not the first time the Trump administration had floated the idea of increasing foreign beef imports, and said South Dakota must work through its congressional delegation to push back on the policy.
Economic Development Dispute
The candidates disagreed sharply on how the state handles economic development. Ahlers accused Rhoden’s economic development office of favoring out-of-state companies over businesses that originate in South Dakota. He pointed to a Wakonda hemp producer who built a hemp-based concrete plant in another state after failing to secure incentives at home.
Rhoden pushed back, saying roughly 85 percent of economic development dollars remain within South Dakota. He cited three projects he described as among the largest in state history in recent years: the relocation of a Smithfield pork plant from downtown to northern Sioux Falls, a CJ Schwan’s food production plant groundbreaking in Sioux Falls, and a new soybean crushing plant in Mitchell.
Medicaid Expansion on the Ballot
A proposed state constitutional amendment on the November 3 ballot would eliminate the requirement to maintain expanded Medicaid eligibility if federal funding falls below 90 percent. South Dakota voters approved Medicaid expansion in 2022, extending coverage to adults with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level.
State Department of Social Services data shows approximately 31,000 South Dakotans are enrolled through the expansion, out of roughly 143,000 total Medicaid enrollees statewide.
Ahlers warned that rolling back eligibility requirements would put rural hospitals, maternity units, and emergency rooms at financial risk. Rhoden, who opposed the original expansion due to concerns about the reliability of federal funding, defended the proposed amendment without committing to a position on whether he would support triggering it.
Agency Merger Debate
The candidates also split over a structural change made by former Gov. Kristi Noem, who merged the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources into a single agency — the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources — by executive order. Ahlers said he would reverse the merger and restore a standalone Department of Agriculture with its own secretary. Rhoden defended the consolidation, rejecting the argument that it had allowed agricultural interests to overshadow environmental protection.
Background on the Candidates
Rhoden, who represents rural Union Center, has served as governor since early 2025. He was elevated from lieutenant governor after Noem resigned to join the Trump administration. Ahlers is a businessman and former state legislator from Dell Rapids. Saturday’s debate was the first for both candidates since each secured their respective party nominations.
For more on how the candidates reached this point, see earlier coverage of the South Dakota Republican primary runoff outcome and the Democratic Party’s decision not to field a replacement candidate after a prior nominee withdrew.
Key Dates
Advance voting in South Dakota begins September 18. The voter registration deadline is October 19. The general election is November 3.