Gubernatorial Runoffs Showcase Party Dynamics Amid Voter Decisions

WHO:

Fox News - South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden and challenger Toby Doeden are involved in the gubernatorial runoff.

NBC News - Larry Rhoden is the incumbent governor of South Dakota.

WHAT:

AP News - Insurgent democratic socialist Francesca Hong has garnered strong support among the most liberal wing of the party in Wisconsin's Democratic primary for governor.

AP News - Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley dropped out of the race on July 8 but re-entered on July 17, the day after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez dropped out amid a campaign finance scandal.

AP News - As of the first day of in-person absentee voting, nearly 108,000 ballots had already been returned by mail in Wisconsin.

AP News - A judge was scheduled to hear arguments regarding a lawsuit filed by the Wisconsin Democratic Party seeking to allow voters who have already returned their ballots to cancel them and cast new ones.

AP News - Democrats in Wisconsin are divided over whether a democratic socialist could prevail in the upcoming general election, with concerns about coalescing around a single candidate for the governor's race.

AP News - The first day for in-person absentee voting in Wisconsin's Democratic primary for governor was marked by nearly 108,000 ballots already returned by mail.

AP News - The Democratic primary for governor in Wisconsin is scheduled for August 11, with in-person absentee voting running through August 9.

NBC News - Larry Rhoden has won his Republican primary, as projected by NBC News.

Fox News - The runoff is South Dakota's first-ever gubernatorial primary runoff.

Fox News - Neither candidate cleared the 35% threshold to win outright in the initial primary.

WHERE:

Fox News - The gubernatorial runoff is taking place in South Dakota.

WHEN:

Fox News - The runoff is described as occurring on a Tuesday, with no specific date provided.

WHY:

AP News - The Democratic Party is concerned that failing to unite behind one candidate could lead to missed opportunities in the November elections.

Fox News - The runoff was necessitated because neither candidate achieved the required 35% of the vote in the primary.

HOW:

WISN - The debate among the five Democratic candidates for governor took place at Marquette University, covering topics such as the Madison police shooting and a $2.5 billion tax surplus.

AP News - A lawsuit has been filed by the Wisconsin Democratic Party seeking to allow voters who have already returned their ballots to cancel them and cast new ones, a process known as ballot spoiling.

Fox News - The runoff process was initiated after the primary election did not yield a clear winner.

(UPDATED July 29, 2026 07:54 UTC)

Insurgent democratic socialist Francesca Hong is gaining significant traction among the liberal base in Wisconsin's Democratic primary for governor. Meanwhile, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who briefly dropped out of the race, re-entered just days after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez exited due to a campaign finance scandal. As in-person absentee voting begins, nearly 108,000 ballots have already been returned by mail, and a judge is set to hear arguments on a lawsuit from the Wisconsin Democratic Party that seeks to allow voters to cancel their returned ballots and cast new ones.

(UPDATED July 29, 2026 04:03 UTC)

Democrats in Wisconsin are facing a significant challenge as they grapple with whether a democratic socialist can effectively compete in the upcoming general election, raising concerns about uniting behind a single candidate for the governor's race. As the Democratic primary for governor approaches on August 11, in-person absentee voting is already underway, with nearly 108,000 ballots returned by mail as of now and voting continuing through August 9. In a related development, the Wisconsin Democratic Party has filed a lawsuit to allow voters who have already submitted their ballots to cancel them and cast new ones, a process known as ballot spoiling.

(UPDATED July 29, 2026 02:51 UTC)

In a historic event for South Dakota, Governor Larry Rhoden is set to face challenger Toby Doeden in the state's first-ever gubernatorial primary runoff, as neither candidate secured the necessary 35% of the vote in the initial primary. NBC News has projected that Rhoden, the incumbent governor, has won his Republican primary, leading to this runoff. The runoff will take place on a Tuesday, marking a significant moment in South Dakota's political landscape.