# 2022 South Dakota gubernatorial election

* This article is part of a series aboutKristi Noem
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The 2022 South Dakota gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, electing the governor of South Dakota. Incumbent Republican governor Kristi Noem defeated Democratic nominee Jamie Smith to win a second term.
Despite speculation about this race potentially being competitive, Noem improved on her 2018 performance by 11 percentage points and flipped 17 counties that had been won by Billie Sutton. She also received over 44,000 more raw votes than she did in the previous election, setting a record for the most votes received by a candidate for governor in South Dakota.

## Republican primary
### Candidates
#### Nominee

* Kristi Noem, incumbent governor
** Running mate: Larry Rhoden, incumbent lieutenant governor

#### Eliminated in primary

* Steven Haugaard, state representative and former Speaker of the South Dakota House of Representatives

#### Declined

* Lora Hubbel, former state representative, former chair of the Minnehaha County Republican Party and the South Dakota Constitution Party, and candidate for governor in 2014 and 2018 (running as an independent)
* Mark Mickelson, former Speaker of the South Dakota House of Representatives

### Endorsements

U.S. executive branch officials
* Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States (2017–2021)
U.S. representatives
* Dusty Johnson, U.S. representative from South Dakota's at-large congressional district (2019–present)
State officials
* Marty Jackley, former attorney general of South Dakota (2009–2019) and candidate for Governor of South Dakota in 2018

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Steven Haugaard | Kristi Noem | Undecided |
| South Dakota State University | May 2–15, 2022 | – (LV) | ± 3.0% | 17% | 61% | 22% |

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Kristi Noem (incumbent) | 91,661 | 76.4 |
| | Republican | Steven Haugaard | 28,315 | 23.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 119,976 | 100.0 |

## Democratic primary
### Candidates
#### Nominee

* Jamie Smith, Minority Leader of the South Dakota House of Representatives
** Running mate: Jennifer Healy Keintz, state representative

#### Declined

* Dan Ahlers, former state representative and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2020
* Remi Bald Eagle, former official for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and nominee for the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission in 2020
* Kooper Caraway, president of the South Dakota Federation of Labor
* Troy Heinert, Minority Leader of the South Dakota Senate
* Steve Hildebrand, political strategist
* Mike Huether, former mayor of Sioux Falls
* Brendan Johnson, former U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota and son of former U.S. Senator Tim Johnson
* Peri Pourier, state representative
* Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, president of Augustana University and former U.S. representative for South Dakota's at-large congressional district
* Randy Seiler, chair of the South Dakota Democratic Party, former U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota, and nominee for attorney general in 2018
* Billie Sutton, former Minority Leader of the South Dakota Senate and nominee for governor in 2018
* Bob Sutton, businessman

## Libertarian convention
### Candidates
#### Nominee

* Tracey Quint, coordinator
** Running mate: Ashley Strand

## Independents
### Candidates
#### Withdrew

* Lora Hubbel, former state representative, former chair of the Minnehaha County Republican Party and the South Dakota Constitution Party, and candidate for governor in 2014 and 2018 (running for State Senate)

## General election
### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Solid R | March 4, 2022 |
| Inside Elections | Solid R | March 4, 2022 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe R | January 26, 2022 |
| Politico | Likely R | October 3, 2022 |
| RCP | Likely R | September 25, 2022 |
| Fox News | Solid R | May 12, 2022 |
| 538 | Solid R | October 5, 2022 |
| Elections Daily | Safe R | November 7, 2022 |

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Kristi Noem (R) | Jamie Smith (D) | Other | Undecided |
| Emerson College | October 19–21, 2022 | 1,500 (LV) | ± 2.4% | 56% | 37% | 3% | 4% |
| Emerson College | October 19–21, 2022 | 1,500 (LV) | ± 2.4% | 57% | 39% | 4% | – |
| South Dakota State University | September 28 – October 10, 2022 | 565 (RV) | ± 4.0% | 45% | 41% | – | 14% |

### Post-primary endorsements

U.S. representatives
* Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. representative from Hawaii's 2nd congressional district (2013–2021) (Independent)
Statewide officials
* Glenn Youngkin, governor of Virginia (2022–present)
Organizations
* NRA Political Victory Fund
* Susan B. Anthony List

### Results

* Democratic — +15-20%
* Democratic — +10-15%
* Democratic — +5-10%
* Democratic — +0-5%
* Republican — +0-5%
* Republican — +5-10%
* Republican — +10-15%
* Republican — +15-20%
* Republican — +20-25%
* Republican — +25-30%
* Republican — +>30%
* Democratic — +15-20%
* Democratic — +10-15%
* Democratic — +5-10%
* Democratic — +0-5%
* Republican — +0-5%
* Republican — +5-10%
* Republican — +10-15%
* Republican — +15-20%
* Republican — +20-25%
* Republican — +25-30%
* Republican — +>30%
2022 South Dakota gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Kristi Noem (incumbent)Larry Rhoden (incumbent) | 217,035 | 61.98% | +11.01% |
| | Democratic | Jamie SmithJennifer Healy Keintz | 123,148 | 35.17% | −12.43% |
| | Libertarian | Tracey QuintAshley Strand | 9,983 | 2.85% | +1.42% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 350,166 | 100.00% | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 350,166 | 59.40% | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 597,073 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

#### By county

By county :
| County | Kristi Noem Republican | Kristi Noem Republican | Jamie Smith Democratic | Jamie Smith Democratic | Tracey Quint Libertarian | Tracey Quint Libertarian | Total votes |
| County | % | # | % | # | % | # | Total votes |
| Aurora | 73.64% | 894 | 23.39% | 284 | 2.97% | 36 | 1,214 |
| Beadle | 66.84% | 3,901 | 29.40% | 1,716 | 3.75% | 219 | 5,836 |
| Bennett | 60.39% | 619 | 35.90% | 368 | 3.71% | 38 | 1,025 |
| Bon Homme | 72.52% | 1,858 | 25.37% | 650 | 2.11% | 54 | 2,562 |
| Brookings | 56.12% | 6,974 | 41.01% | 5,096 | 2.87% | 357 | 12,427 |
| Brown | 60.56% | 8,456 | 37.00% | 5,167 | 2.44% | 341 | 13,964 |
| Brule | 69.37% | 1,463 | 27.93% | 589 | 2.70% | 57 | 2,109 |
| Buffalo | 36.27% | 144 | 58.94% | 234 | 4.79% | 19 | 397 |
| Butte | 76.71% | 3,211 | 19.66% | 823 | 3.63% | 152 | 4,186 |
| Campbell | 84.11% | 561 | 13.94% | 93 | 1.95% | 13 | 667 |
| Charles Mix | 70.75% | 2,187 | 27.47% | 849 | 1.78% | 55 | 3,091 |
| Clark | 76.44% | 1,223 | 21.31% | 341 | 2.25% | 36 | 1,600 |
| Clay | 43.29% | 2,054 | 54.39% | 2,581 | 2.32% | 110 | 4,745 |
| Codington | 67.87% | 7,520 | 29.36% | 3,253 | 2.77% | 307 | 11,080 |
| Corson | 56.25% | 522 | 40.84% | 379 | 2.91% | 27 | 928 |
| Custer | 71.56% | 3,633 | 25.47% | 1,293 | 2.97% | 151 | 5,077 |
| Davison | 67.51% | 4,887 | 30.10% | 2,179 | 2.39% | 173 | 7,239 |
| Day | 63.43% | 1,599 | 34.75% | 876 | 1.82% | 46 | 2,521 |
| Deuel | 74.28% | 1,479 | 23.00% | 458 | 2.71% | 54 | 1,991 |
| Dewey | 42.06% | 662 | 54.76% | 862 | 3.18% | 50 | 1,574 |
| Douglas | 85.71% | 1,272 | 12.67% | 188 | 1.62% | 24 | 1,484 |
| Edmunds | 77.66% | 1,321 | 20.34% | 346 | 2.00% | 34 | 1,701 |
| Fall River | 73.04% | 2,679 | 23.42% | 859 | 3.54% | 130 | 3,668 |
| Faulk | 80.73% | 771 | 17.49% | 167 | 1.78% | 17 | 955 |
| Grant | 72.41% | 2,328 | 25.82% | 830 | 1.77% | 57 | 3,215 |
| Gregory | 78.77% | 1,618 | 19.13% | 393 | 2.09% | 43 | 2,054 |
| Haakon | 90.37% | 892 | 8.31% | 82 | 1.32% | 13 | 987 |
| Hamlin | 77.58% | 2,118 | 20.07% | 548 | 2.34% | 64 | 2,730 |
| Hand | 78.36% | 1,177 | 19.31% | 290 | 2.33% | 35 | 1,502 |
| Hanson | 77.63% | 1,267 | 20.59% | 336 | 1.78% | 29 | 1,632 |
| Harding | 93.35% | 632 | 4.87% | 33 | 1.77% | 12 | 677 |
| Hughes | 61.38% | 4,571 | 35.61% | 2,652 | 3.01% | 224 | 7,447 |
| Hutchinson | 78.99% | 2,507 | 19.03% | 604 | 1.98% | 63 | 3,174 |
| Hyde | 80.00% | 460 | 18.43% | 106 | 1.57% | 9 | 575 |
| Jackson | 67.79% | 623 | 30.47% | 280 | 1.74% | 16 | 919 |
| Jerauld | 69.75% | 604 | 27.48% | 238 | 2.77% | 24 | 866 |
| Jones | 83.69% | 395 | 13.56% | 64 | 2.75% | 13 | 472 |
| Kingsbury | 70.25% | 1,792 | 27.13% | 692 | 2.63% | 67 | 2,551 |
| Lake | 63.05% | 3,131 | 34.64% | 1,720 | 2.31% | 115 | 4,966 |
| Lawrence | 63.27% | 7,749 | 33.00% | 4,041 | 3.72% | 456 | 12,247 |
| Lincoln | 59.76% | 16,828 | 38.09% | 10,727 | 2.15% | 606 | 28,161 |
| Lyman | 66.69% | 879 | 30.73% | 405 | 2.58 | 34 | 1,318 |
| Marshall | 59.42% | 1,123 | 38.99% | 737 | 1.59% | 30 | 1,890 |
| McCook | 72.67% | 1,851 | 24.54% | 625 | 2.79% | 71 | 2,547 |
| McPherson | 82.82% | 911 | 15.18% | 167 | 2.00% | 22 | 1,100 |
| Meade | 71.46% | 8,482 | 24.32% | 2,887 | 4.22% | 501 | 11,870 |
| Mellette | 61.27% | 386 | 33.97% | 214 | 4.76% | 30 | 630 |
| Miner | 72.69% | 732 | 24.63% | 248 | 2.68% | 27 | 1,007 |
| Minnehaha | 52.53% | 39,234 | 44.69% | 33,376 | 2.77% | 2,072 | 74,682 |
| Moody | 62.97% | 1,668 | 34.35% | 910 | 2.68% | 71 | 2,649 |
| Oglala Lakota | 8.91% | 221 | 87.58% | 2,172 | 3.51% | 87 | 2,480 |
| Pennington | 60.78% | 27,586 | 35.73% | 16,215 | 3.49% | 1,587 | 45,388 |
| Perkins | 83.24% | 1,142 | 12.90% | 177 | 3.86% | 53 | 1,372 |
| Potter | 81.16% | 892 | 17.02% | 187 | 1.82% | 20 | 1,099 |
| Roberts | 60.70% | 2,164 | 36.89% | 1,315 | 2.41% | 86 | 3,565 |
| Sanborn | 75.40% | 757 | 22.51% | 226 | 2.09% | 21 | 1,004 |
| Spink | 68.61% | 1,832 | 28.65% | 765 | 2.73% | 73 | 2,670 |
| Stanley | 69.04% | 999 | 28.13% | 407 | 2.83% | 41 | 1,447 |
| Sully | 75.76% | 597 | 21.45% | 169 | 2.79% | 22 | 788 |
| Todd | 20.87% | 402 | 74.97% | 1,444 | 4.15% | 80 | 1,926 |
| Tripp | 82.58% | 1,873 | 16.05% | 364 | 1.37% | 31 | 2,268 |
| Turner | 73.32% | 2,834 | 23.78% | 919 | 2.90% | 112 | 3,865 |
| Union | 70.07% | 4,723 | 27.42% | 1,848 | 2.51% | 169 | 6,740 |
| Walworth | 76.62% | 1,573 | 20.94% | 430 | 2.44% | 50 | 2,053 |
| Yankton | 58.89% | 5,247 | 37.60% | 3,350 | 3.51% | 313 | 8,910 |
| Ziebach | 50.51% | 345 | 44.51% | 304 | 4.98% | 34 | 683 |
| Total | 61.98% | 217,035 | 35.17% | 123,148 | 2.85% | 9,983 | 350,166 |