Democratic nominee for South Dakota secretary of state, Terrence Davis. (Courtesy of Davis for South Dakota)
PIERRE, S.D. (South Dakota Searchlight) – A Democrat’s campaign finance report shows some of his contributions coming from across the political divide as he campaigns for South Dakota secretary of state, after the Republican incumbent endorsed him.
A report filed this week shows Democratic nominee Terrence Davis, of Sioux Falls, raised about $53,500 since May and spent about $18,400. He reported about $57,600 remaining in his campaign fund, including money from a prior reporting period.
Some of his contributions came from Republicans. That includes $1,000 from Joe Kirby, who helped lead an unsuccessful ballot question campaign two years ago to implement open primaries, and Kirby’s wife, Jennifer. David Knudson, a Republican who formerly served in the Legislature and ran for governor, and De Knudson, a former Sioux Falls City Council member, gave $1,000. Harry Christianson, who served in the administration of Republican former Gov. Bill Janklow, gave $250 to Davis’ campaign.
De Knudson said she doesn’t like what she’s heard from the Republican nominee for secretary of state, Rep. Heather Baxter of Rapid City, about Baxter’s support for hand-counting of election results and criticism of vote-counting machines.
“I find all that to be ludicrous,” Knudson said.
The secretary of state’s duties include overseeing elections. Activists who support hand-counting have said vote tabulation machines could be hacked or tampered with, but vote-counting machines in South Dakota are not connected to the internet, and post-election audits have shown the machines to be accurate.
The Republican support for Davis comes after Republican Secretary of State Monae Johnson’s September endorsement of Davis over Baxter. Johnson lost the Republican nomination to Baxter at the state Republican convention during the summer. The general election is Nov. 3, and advance voting is underway.
Heather Baxter addresses the state Republican convention on June 27, 2026, at The Monument events center in Rapid City just prior to winning the party’s nomination for secretary of state. (Photo by Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight)
Knudson said she knows Johnson, and Johnson’s endorsement played a role in Knudson’s decision to support Davis.
Davis called the support he has received from Republicans “amazing.”
“People are looking at what makes sense moving forward,” Davis said.
Baxter reported raising about $80,000 since May and spending about $86,000, including money her campaign had on hand from the prior reporting period. She had $1,900 remaining. Individual contributions exceeding $100 accounted for about $59,000 of her fundraising. Her largest individual donors included Republican state Rep. Tony Kayser, R-Sioux Falls, and his wife, Kathryn, who contributed a combined $8,000.
Kayser sponsored and Baxter co-sponsored failed legislation earlier this year that would have changed laws governing vote-counting equipment. They both co-sponsored a failed bill to prohibit the use of automatic vote tabulating equipment.
Baxter said in a statement that she supported that legislation because “I saw issues with the certification process and some of the equipment not being in compliance with state and federal law.”
“As the next secretary of state, I will work to make sure South Dakota is 100% federally compliant and aim to provide transparency on all aspects of election administration,” she wrote.
Tamara Lesnar is the 2026 Libertarian nominee for South Dakota secretary of state. (Photo courtesy of Tamara Lesnar campaign)
Baxter’s campaign finance report shows she received $1,700 worth of yard signs from Rick Weible. He has promoted hand-counting across the state and testified in favor of the bill that would have banned tabulation machines.
Meanwhile, Libertarian candidate Tamara Lesnar’s report shows $420 raised, $270 spent and $150 left.
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