Democratic
No Democratic candidate
Major-party general-election nominee.
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South Dakota U.S. Senate election, 2026
No Democratic candidate vs. Mike Rounds. Incumbent renominated.
No Democratic nominee
Democratic nominee Julian Beaudion ended his campaign after the June primary. The November contest is Republican Mike Rounds against independent Brian Bengs, a matchup this Democratic-versus-Republican model does not forecast.
No forecast is published for this race. The forecast returns if and when a Dem-vs-Rep matchup is set and polled.
Republican
Mike Rounds
Incumbent. Voting record and biography →
Other listed candidates
- Brian Bengs · Independent
Polls
No verified 2026 general-election poll is currently available in the feed for this race.
Other forecasts
Cook
Solid R
as of Sep 15, 2026
DDHQ
Safe R
as of Sep 22, 2026
Econ
Likely R
as of Sep 22, 2026
FPO
Likely R
as of Sep 22, 2026
Fox
Solid R
as of Sep 22, 2026
IE
Solid R
as of Sep 17, 2026
RCP
Solid R
as of Sep 20, 2026
Sabato
Safe R
as of Aug 26, 2026
Silver
Solid R
as of Sep 19, 2026
ST
Safe R
as of Sep 21, 2026
Published ratings are categorical, not probabilities, and remain independent of VotePredictor. Sources and update dates ↗
Past results
Every U.S. Senate election in South Dakota we hold a result for. A state elects two senators on separate cycles, so this covers both of its seats, not only the one on the ballot in 2026.
YearWinnerMargin
Candidate news
Bipartisan frustration builds as Senators seek transparency from Pentagon
WASHINGTON (AP) — Tensions are mounting between the Pentagon and Congress over the flow of information to lawmakers about the U.S. military's priorities, with both Democrats and Republicans accusing a Defense Department leader of being frustratingly opaque. …
Yahoo Entertainment · September 17, 2026
Exclusive: Navy Veteran Brian Bengs Takes on Big Money in South Dakota as Independent US Senate Candidate
Bengs, who previously ran for office, is channeling an anti-corruption campaign against Republican incumbent Sen. Mike Rounds.
Military.com · September 10, 2026
‘They feel like they’ve been let down’: Republican’s admission about farmers, beef and Trump reveals a nervous Senate race
“Politics is local,” Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota said. Farmers “feel just like the administration pulled the rug right off from underneath."
Fortune · September 8, 2026
Shock as Senate staffer exposed as Meta & tobacco-giant lobbyist: 'Most obvious conflict'
A senior staffer working for Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) has been cashing in as a lobbyist for multiple major corporations constantly under scrutiny by Congress, according to a new report. Newly surfaced South Dakota state filings, reviewed by Politico, show Roun…
Raw Story · September 7, 2026
Kristi Noem's embarrassing half-horse statue caps her spectacular downfall
The latest addition to Pierre’s Trail of Governors stands out. It’s not because it’s the only statue of a woman. It’s not because it’s the only one accompanied by half a horse. It represents a career of political tumult. A career from which it’s unlikely ther…
Raw Story · August 22, 2026