Jamie Smith

Inside the state Capitol in Pierre. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)

Legislative out-of-state travel reform bill fails on House floor

BY: - February 1, 2023

The House of Representatives shut down a Senate bill that would alter who approves legislative travel on the state’s dime. SB 68 sailed through the Senate with a unanimous vote last week, but was met with overwhelming opposition on the House floor, with 60 votes against and eight votes in favor. The bill was prompted […]

Gov. Kristi Noem greeting her mother, Corrine Arnold, before giving a victory speech upon her re-election.

Kristi Noem wins second term as South Dakota governor

BY: - November 9, 2022

In the run-up to election day, Democrats in South Dakota believed they saw hopeful signs in the governor’s race. An SDSU poll put Democratic candidate Jamie Smith within striking distance of incumbent Republican Gov. Kristi Noem. The Smith crew also pointed to internal polling that suggested a strong potential for the Sioux Falls lawmaker, who […]

A vote-here sign, pictured on Nov. 8, 2022, at the All Souls Church on Cliff Avenue in Sioux Falls. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)

LIVE Coverage: Election 2022

BY: - November 8, 2022

Voters headed to the polls Tuesday across all 66 counties in South Dakota. They cast ballots for Governor, U.S. Senator, U.S. Congressman, and decided on statewide candidates for offices like Secretary of State and Public Utilities Commissioner. On the local level, 105 seats in the South Dakota Senate and House of Representatives were up for […]

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem speaks to supporters on Nov. 7, 2022, in Rapid City. (Kevin Eilbeck for South Dakota Searchlight)

Campaigns make final pitches to South Dakota voters

BY: - November 7, 2022

Campaigns made their final pitches to voters on Monday ahead of an election that will see South Dakotans decide on a governor and other statewide offices, as well as the legal status of recreational marijuana and the expansion of Medicaid. Incumbent Republican Gov. Kristi Noem and her opponent, Democrat Jamie Smith, traversed the state over […]

Gabbard says Democrats ‘taking freedoms’ has moved her to align with Noem

BY: - November 3, 2022

A former Democratic Congresswoman from Hawaii earned enthusiastic applause from backers of Republican Gov. Kristi Noem on Wednesday. Tulsi Gabbard recently announced that she’d left the Democratic Party over its “extreme positions,” though she did not say whether she would join the Republican Party.  Gabbard appeared alongside Noem twice Wednesday, visiting Rapid City in the […]

South Dakota gubernatorial candidates Jamie Smith, left, and Kristi Noem.

Analysis: 80% of Noem’s reported individual donations are from out-of-state

BY: - October 27, 2022

Around 80% of the individual donor addresses listed on Gov. Kristi Noem’s most recent campaign finance filing are out-of-state, according to an analysis of public records by South Dakota Searchlight. The tally of out-of-state addresses listed in Democratic challenger Jamie Smith’s records was 5%. The Noem campaign has a large lead in fundraising. The Republican […]

Gov. Kristi Noem attends an event Oct. 12, 2022, at a Sioux Falls grocery store. (John Hult/SD Searchlight)

Poll shows Noem with 19-point lead in governor race

BY: - October 26, 2022

New results from Emerson College Polling say Republican Gov. Kristi Noem leads Democratic challenger Jamie Smith by 19 points in the race for governor of South Dakota. Noem has support from 56 percent of poll respondents, while Smith’s support is at 37 percent. Three percent of respondents support Libertarian Tracey Quint, and 4 percent are […]

Gov. Kristi Noem attends an event Oct. 12, 2022, at a Sioux Falls grocery store. (John Hult/SD Searchlight)

Noem campaign leads statewide candidates in fundraising

BY: - October 25, 2022

Republican Gov. Kristi Noem leads her Democratic challenger Jamie Smith by a wide margin – at least in terms of cash on hand. That’s one takeaway from the release of campaign finance reports for South Dakota political candidates on Monday, the deadline for pre-election disclosures. Noem started the reporting period in May with nearly $7.8 […]

Democratic candidate Jamie Smith, left, and Libertarian candidate Tracey Quint debate Monday night on South Dakota Public Broadcasting. The empty podium was for Republican Gov. Kristi Noem, who declined an invitation to participate. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)

Differences on health care emerge in gubernatorial debate

BY: and - October 25, 2022

SIOUX FALLS — Differences in health-care policy emerged between two candidates for governor of South Dakota who participated in a televised debate Monday night on South Dakota Public Broadcasting. Democratic candidate Jamie Smith said he supports raising the reimbursement rates paid to medical providers that care for Medicaid patients. “When you lose $50 a day […]