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2018 South Dakota Attorney General election

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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.

2018 South Dakota Attorney General election
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Nominee Jason Ravnsborg Randy Seiler
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 179,071 145,558
Percentage 55.16% 44.84%
Ravnsborg:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Seiler:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Tie:      50%
Attorney General before election

Marty Jackley
Republican

Elected Attorney General

Jason Ravnsborg
Republican

Background

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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.

Democratic nomination

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Former U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota, Randy Seiler won the nomination at the Democratic Convention.[1]

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

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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

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While both the Libertarian and the Constitution party had party status, neither nominated anyone for this race. Furthermore, no Independents ran in this race.

General election

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Both Seiler and Ravnsborg were alumni of the University of South Dakota School of Law ensuring that the school's graduate would continue to hold the office, a streak that has continued since 1959.

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.

Results

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2018 South Dakota Attorney General election[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jason Ravnsborg 179,071 55.16% −5.07%
Democratic Randy Seiler 145,558 44.84% +12.26%
Total votes 324,629 100.00% N/A
Republican hold

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Randy Seiler wins Democratic Party nomination for attorney general". argusleader.com. Sioux Falls Argus Leader.
  2. ^ "Democrats favor Seiler over Means for State AG". June 18, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  3. ^ "1881 Initiative aims to increase the number of female AGs". July 2018. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  4. ^ "Yankton lawyer Jason Ravnsborg wins GOP attorney general nod". Associated Press. June 23, 2018. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
  5. ^ "2018 republican State Convention Results". southdakotagop.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  6. ^ "McGuigan announces suspense of campaign for AG". dakotawarcollege.com. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  7. ^ "2018 Republican State Convention Results". southdakotagop.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  8. ^ "2018 Republican State Convention Results". southdakotagop.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  9. ^ "40 Sheriffs Endorsing Ravnsborg for AG". kdlt.com.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  10. ^ "Fraternal Order of Police Endorses Ravnsborg for AG". kdlt.com.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  11. ^ "Ravnsborg endorsed for AG by NRA". dakotawarcollege.com. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  12. ^ "SD Right to Life endorses three state wide Republican candidates". dakotabroadcasting.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  13. ^ "FHA Action Endorses Ravnsborg for AG". fhaaction.org. Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  14. ^ "2018 General Election Canvass" (PDF). SDSOS. November 6, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
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Official South Dakota Attorney General candidate websites

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