Mike Rounds

He alleged that, after the fire, “an opponent and those associated with the opponent” pressured him to leave the race through “intimidating threats,” adding that protecting his family’s mental and physical safety ultimately drove his decision to step aside.

Beaudion said he would not endorse either candidate.

“Let me be clear, I will not be endorsing or supporting Brian Bengs in this race,” he said. “Likewise, I cannot support Senator Mike Rounds.”

While criticizing Rounds’s tenure in Washington, Beaudion argued South Dakotans “deserve a better choice than the one that remains before them,” adding that although his campaign was ending, “my voice is not.”

Bengs, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, praised Beaudion’s decision and framed the race as a unified effort to defeat the incumbent Republican.

“I commend Julian Beaudion’s patriotic decision to make this a two-person race and put South Dakota first,” Bengs said. “Now South Dakotans who want to vote against Washington’s cost-raising agenda and corruption can come together regardless of party.”

Calling Beaudion “a patriot,” Bengs said both campaigns understood “the most important goal here is retiring Mike Rounds.”

With the race now narrowed to two candidates, Bengs said his campaign would focus on building a coalition of Republicans, Democrats, and independents while continuing to reject corporate PAC money.

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Bengs was the Democratic nominee against Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) in 2022 before launching his current independent bid.