U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-South Dakota, delivers his reelection victory speech while flanked by sons Owen, left, and Max on Nov. 5, 2024, in Sioux Falls. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)
South Dakota voters reelected Republican U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson to a fourth term Tuesday.
The Associated Press called the race at 10:06 p.m. Central. Rep. Johnson was leading with 76% of the votes, with about 27% of statewide precincts reporting. The other candidate in the race, Democratic nominee Sheryl Johnson, had 24%.
Rep. Johnson, a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, is known for his focus on policy and his aversion to the antics of the more extreme voices in the U.S. House.
“Let’s never forget, this country was not built on anger and fear,” Rep. Johnson said Tuesday night during his victory speech in Sioux Falls. “This country was built on courage, optimism, imagination and freedom, and that is the most potent recipe in the history of statecraft.”
Rep. Johnson has generally voted in line with Republicans but has broken with some members of his party on occasion, including when he voted to certify the results of the 2020 election and when he voted against President Donald Trump’s attempt to declare a national emergency for the construction of a border wall.