The 2018 South Dakota Attorney General election was held on November 6, 2018. Incumbent attorney general Marty Jackley was term-limited and ran for Governor of South Dakota. In June 2018, the South Dakota Republican party nominated Jason Ravnsborg for attorney general and the Democratic party nominated Randy Seiler. Ravnsborg won the election to become the 31st attorney general of South Dakota.
Background
In 2009, Republican incumbent Marty Jackley was first appointed attorney general by then-governor Mike Rounds. Jackley succeeded one-term Republican incumbent Larry Long, who opted to be appointed by Governor Mike Rounds to be a circuit court judge in Sioux Falls. Jackley was then elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2014.
On June 15, 2018, Seiler defeated former Oglala Lakota Attorney General Tatewin Means at the Democratic Convention held in Sioux Falls, South Dakota by an approximate 2-to-1 margin.[2] Means made history by becoming the first indigenous woman to run for attorney general.[3]
Republican nomination
Yankton Attorney, Jason Ravnsborg won the South Dakota Republican nomination at its state convention.[4]
On June 23, 2018, In the second round of voting, Ravnsborg defeated South Dakota State Senator Lance Russell of Hot Springs, South Dakota for the Republican nomination by a margin of 63% to 37% at the Republican Convention in Pierre, South Dakota.
In the first Round of voting at the Convention Ravnsborg lead with 47% of the vote; Russell had 27% and Lawrence County States Attorney John Fitzgerald had 26%. Therefore, Fitzgerald was eliminated after the first round of voting and Ravnsborg and Russell would go head to head.[5]
Chief Deputy Attorney General Charlie McGuigan withdrew from the race prior to the convention.[6]
South Dakota Attorney General, Republican Convention Election 2018, Final Round[7]
Party
Candidate
%
Republican
Jason Ravnsborg
63%
Republican
Lance Russell
37%
South Dakota Attorney General, Republican Convention Election 2018, First Round[8]
Party
Candidate
%
Republican
Jason Ravnsborg
47%
Republican
Lance Russell
27%
Republican
John Fitzgerald
26%
No third-party candidates
While both the Libertarian and the Constitution party had party status, neither nominated anyone for this race. Furthermore, no Independents ran in this race.
Ravnsborg secured a number of endorsements during the election. He was endorsed by forty county sheriffs;[9] the Fraternal Order of Police;[10] thirty states attorneys; the National Rifle Association;[11] South Dakota Right to Life;[12] and the Family Heritage Alliance.[13]
Ravnsborg went on to win the November general election.
