HURON, S.D. – South Dakota’s two major gubernatorial candidates will take the stage this weekend for a debate focused on agriculture and rural issues.
Republican Governor Larry Rhoden and Democratic challenger Dan Ahlers are scheduled to debate Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Freedom Tent at the South Dakota State Fair. The event is being hosted by the South Dakota Farmers Union.
Organizers say the debate will focus primarily on agricultural policy, allowing farmers and ranchers to hear where each candidate stands on issues affecting rural South Dakota. Farmers Union President Doug Sombke says producers are facing challenges including extreme weather and high fuel and fertilizer costs and want to know how state leaders plan to support agriculture.
Both candidates accepted the invitation to participate.
The debate is one of only two gubernatorial debates currently scheduled before Election Day. The second is set for September 28 at the South Dakota Public Broadcasting studios in Sioux Falls.
Voters will choose between Rhoden and Ahlers in the November 3 general election. Rhoden is seeking his first elected term as governor after assuming office in 2025, while Ahlers is a former state legislator from Dell Rapids.
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