In a striking break from party lines, South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson, a Republican, has thrown her support behind Democrat Terrence Davis in the race to succeed her. Johnson, who lost the GOP nomination to Heather Baxter at the state's Republican convention in June, made the announcement in a column published Saturday on the conservative blog South Dakota War College.
Johnson argued that the role of secretary of state demands a focus on legal and practical considerations over partisan affiliation. "The secretary of state must consider the law, the information available, the effect on county officials, the security of statewide systems, the rights of voters, the cost and workload created by a change, and whether the proposal can be implemented within the deadlines the law requires," she wrote. She added that the job "also requires a willingness to review new information and change course when the evidence supports doing so."
Highlighting Davis's background—which includes law enforcement experience, a criminal justice degree, a master's in public policy, and ongoing doctoral work in law and policy—Johnson praised his priorities of transparency, voting rights, and making government systems work for the public. "Those areas have a direct connection to the work of the secretary of state's office," she said. She concluded by urging voters from both parties to "look beyond the letter beside a candidate's name," asserting that Davis is best prepared to serve with "seriousness, steadiness, and integrity."
Johnson's endorsement is notable given her previous refusal to confirm whether President Biden won the 2020 election during her own 2022 campaign, as reported by NBC News. The current race has centered on election security, with Davis telling The Washington Sun on Monday that misinformation has eroded trust in the state's election system. "I believe people want somebody they can trust. They want a government they can trust. That's really what it boils down to," Davis said. "My concern is for the voters and the stakeholders here in the state of South Dakota. I trust our system, I trust our elections and I trust our people."
Baxter, the Republican nominee, swiftly criticized Johnson's endorsement. On Monday, she called Johnson's line about the "letter beside a candidate's name" "catchy," but insisted that party affiliation matters. Baxter advocated for "verifiable by paper balloting," support for "state- and tribal-issued photo IDs," and opposition to same-day voter registration. "A sitting secretary of state who asks Republicans to ignore their own nomination is also asking them to treat all of these standards as negotiable," Baxter said. "This office is too important for a consolation prize. The next secretary of state will inherit statewide election systems, business services, statutory deadlines, county relationships, public records, notary commissions, and the public's confidence, and stands third in line below the governor."
Baxter pledged to collaborate with state and federal election officials to "maximize efficiency and accuracy" in South Dakota's elections. The state has not elected a Democrat to statewide office since 2015, and it has voted overwhelmingly for President Trump in the last three presidential elections.
Johnson's endorsement is a rare instance of a sitting secretary of state crossing party lines, and it could influence undecided voters, though the state's deep-red lean makes a Democratic victory an uphill battle. The race now highlights a broader conflict over election administration and the role of partisan loyalty in such positions.
