Democrat quits Senate race in South Dakota, boosts the independent candidate in deep-red state

By Mary McCue Bell, Thursday, August 6, 2026

South Dakota Democratic Senate nominee Julian Beaudion has quit his campaign, blaming personal trauma and unspecified "threats and attacks" from a political opponent. His exit from the race cleared the way for an independent candidate to take on GOP incumbent Sen. Mike Rounds.

Mr. Beaudion, a former state trooper, cited "extraordinary personal challenges," including a "devastating house fire while continuing to navigate significant personal financial hardship."

"After the fire, an opponent and those associated with the opponent hit my family and I with intimidating threats to drop out of this race," he said in a statement. "Those attacks were personal and never about politics. The mental and physical safety of my family is my priority and for this reason alone, I step aside."

He dropped out Tuesday, which was the deadline to withdraw from the ballot. It left independent Brian Bengs in a head-to-head competition against Mr. Rounds. Mr. Beaudion said he would not endorse either candidate. "I believe South Dakotans deserve a better choice than the one that remains before them," he said.

Mr. Bengs, the Democratic nominee against Senate Majority Leader John Thune in 2022, said Mr. Beaudion's choice is a "patriotic decision to make this a two-person race and put South Dakota first."

Mr. Beaudion is the latest in a series of Democratic candidates to abandon their runs in deep-red states, leaving an independent candidate to take on the Republican incumbent. Democrats in Idaho and Nebraska stepped aside for independents.

Montana's Democratic nominee, Alani Bankhead, is hanging tough. She has not succumbed to pressure to suspend her campaign to boost independent Seth Bodnar's bid to succeed retiring Sen. Steve Daines. Aug. 10 is the deadline to withdraw from the Montana race.