South Dakota’s U.S. Senate race shifts to two-way matchup after Democrat candidate suspends campaign
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - The race for South Dakota’s U.S. Senate seat has been upended following the sudden suspension of Democratic candidate Julian Beaudoin’s campaign on Tuesday, leaving Republican incumbent Senator Mike Rounds in a head-on matchup with Independent candidate Brian Bengs.
In a public statement released Tuesday, Beaudoin, a former South Dakota State Highway Patrol Officer, alleged that his decision to drop out of the race was tied to a recent house fire and what he described as targeted attempts to intimidate him into exiting the campaign. Beaudoin’s sudden departure comes after a Politico report detailed pressure from leadership in the Democratic National Committee urging their own candidates in key races to step aside.
Beaudoin has declined to support or endorse Bengs, who ran against Sen. John Thune in 2022 as a Democratic candidate. Bengs is currently registered as an Independent, but according to the Secretary of State’s website, a candidate is not required to b…