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    "original_url": "https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/09\/20\/us\/south-dakota-secretary-state-endorse-democrat.html?emc=edit_nn_20260921&nl=the-morning&segment_id=226815",
    "parsed_content": "Primary Season TakeawaysVoting by MailLatest PollsCompetitive RacesSeat PickupsAdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTSupported bySKIP ADVERTISEMENTRepublican Who Runs South Dakota Elections Backs Democrat to Succeed HerMonae Johnson, the secretary of state, is the latest Republican incumbent to speak out against conservative candidates as President Trump loses support before midterm elections.Listen \u00b7 3:50 min Share full articleSouth Dakota\u2019s secretary of state, Monae Johnson, in her office in Pierre, S.D., in 2024.Credit...Jack Dura\/Associated PressBy Christina MoralesSept. 20, 2026See more of our coverage in your search results.Encuentra m\u00e1s de nuestra cobertura en los resultados de b\u00fasqueda. Add The New York Times on GoogleAgrega The New York Times en Google South Dakota\u2019s Republican secretary of state has endorsed a Democratic candidate to succeed her after she lost her primary race in June.\u201cI understand that this decision will disappoint some people in my party and anger others,\u201d Monae Johnson, the South Dakota secretary of state, wrote in a column published on Saturday in a political blog called the South Dakota War College. She praised the law enforcement and public policy background of the Democrat, Terrence Davis, a former state trooper.She also criticized the election tactics of many in her party.\u201cSouth Dakota deserves a Secretary of State who will strengthen confidence through performance rather than provocation; who will support election officials rather than burden them for political effect; who will protect voter access and election security without pretending those goals are enemies; and who will treat the office\u2019s employees, voters, candidates, and business owners with dignity,\u201d she wrote.Ms. Johnson\u2019s endorsement across party lines comes as Republican officials throughout the country have defied President Trump, with some opposing conservative supporters of the president in local and state races.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTLast week, numerous Republicans spoke out against Bo French, a conservative running for a spot on a powerful Texas agency that regulates oil and gas in the state, after he disparaged students of color cheering during a Texas Longhorns football game.Ms. Johnson became South Dakota\u2019s secretary of state in 2022, buoyed by conservative activists who called for strengthening election integrity after Mr. Trump falsely claimed that his defeat in 2020 had been the result of widespread voter fraud.She refused to acknowledge that former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. was the winner of the 2020 election. Her campaign promised to make changes to prevent election fraud and manipulation, such as counting all ballots by hand and auditing every precinct in the state.Get updates when new midterm election polls are added to our poll trackers. When new polling data drops we\u2019ll send an update straight to your inbox. Get it sent to your inbox.Since the 2020 election, dozens of investigations, audits, recounts and court proceedings across the country have found no evidence of election interference or malpractice.During her tenure, Ms. Johnson did implement some changes she campaigned on, such as establishing a process for precinct audits. But she did not make other changes she had committed to, which contributed to a loss of support for her among Republican officials.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTDelegates at the Republican state convention in June voted for Heather Baxter, a South Dakota state representative who has pushed for similarly extensive election integrity measures, to be their nominee instead.\u201cIn June, Republican delegates considered the record and nominated me over incumbent Secretary of State Monae Johnson, 59 percent to 41 percent,\u201d Ms. Baxter said in a statement. \u201cThat was not confusion. That was self-government in action. The letter beside a name is not decoration. It tells voters what governing philosophy they will carry into the office that runs our elections and business services.\u201dMs. Johnson wrote that she had decided to endorse Mr. Davis over Ms. Baxter because she believed his experience would have \u201ca direct connection to the work\u201d of the secretary of state\u2019s office.\u201cMy responsibility is to the people of South Dakota. I cannot remain silent when I believe the integrity, stability, and professionalism of this office is at stake,\u201d she wrote.Mr. Davis said he was grateful for Ms. Johnson\u2019s endorsement.\u201cMonae and I come from different political parties,\u201d he said in a statement. \u201cWe will not agree on every issue. That is exactly why her confidence in me means so much.\u201dAdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENT",
    "published_at": "2026-09-20T22:36:13+00:00",
    "author_name": "Christina Morales",
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    "ai_headline": "Republican Who Runs South Dakota Elections Backs Democrat to Succeed Her",
    "ai_simplified_title": "South Dakota Secretary of State Endorses Democrat Successor",
    "ai_excerpt": "South Dakota's Republican Secretary of State, Monae Johnson, has endorsed a Democratic candidate to succeed her after losing her primary race. This decision comes as she criticizes her party's election tactics and conservative candidates.",
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