2016 United States Senate election in South Dakota

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2016 United States Senate election in South Dakota
Flag of South Dakota.svg
  2010 November 8, 2016 2022  
  John Thune, official portrait, 111th Congress (cropped1).jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee John Thune Jay Williams
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote265,516104,140
Percentage71.83%28.17%

2016 United States Senate election in South Dakota results map by county.svg
SD Senate 2016.svg
Thune:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90%
Williams:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%

U.S. senator before election

John Thune
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

John Thune
Republican

The 2016 United States Senate election in South Dakota was held November 8, 2016, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of South Dakota, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. The primaries were held June 7.

Contents

Incumbent Republican Senator John Thune was considered a potential 2016 presidential candidate, but decided instead to run for a third term in office. [1]

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

  • Jay Williams, Chair of the Yankton County Democratic Party, former Yankton School Board member and candidate for the State House in 2010 and 2014 [3] [4]

Declined

Constitution Party

The Constitution Party nominated Kurt Evans for Senate depending on the resolution of a ballot-access legal action, however, the party's request to place a candidate on the ballot was not granted. [18] [19] [20]

General election

Debates

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
John
Thune (R)
Jay
Williams (D)
Undecided
SurveyMonkey [21] November 1–7, 2016459± 4.6%65%31%4%
SurveyMonkey [22] October 31–November 6, 2016435± 4.6%64%31%5%
SurveyMonkey [23] October 28–November 3, 2016393± 4.6%66%29%5%
SurveyMonkey [24] October 27–November 2, 2016345± 4.6%67%30%3%
SurveyMonkey [25] October 26–November 1, 2016281± 4.6%65%32%3%
SurveyMonkey [26] October 25–31, 2016298± 4.6%67%31%2%
Nielson Brothers Polling [27] October 24–26, 2016600± 4.0%54%35%11%
Remington Research Group [28] October 19–21, 20161,115± 3.0%57%36%7%
Mason-Dixon [29] October 18–20, 2016400± 5.0%65%27%8%

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report [30] Safe RNovember 2, 2016
Sabato's Crystal Ball [31] Safe RNovember 7, 2016
Rothenberg Political Report [32] Safe RNovember 3, 2016
Daily Kos [33] Safe RNovember 8, 2016
Real Clear Politics [34] Safe RNovember 7, 2016

Results

United States Senate election in South Dakota, 2016 [35]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican John Thune (incumbent) 265,516 71.83% −28.17%
Democratic Jay Williams104,14028.17%N/A
Total votes369,656 100.0% N/A
Republican hold

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

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References

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  2. 1 2 Russo, Mark (October 26, 2015). "Thune primary challenge? Not likely!". KELO-TV . Archived from the original on October 27, 2015. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
  3. Sneve, Joe (February 19, 2016). "Yankton Democrat expected to challenge Thune". Argus Leader . Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  4. Siebold, Jack (February 19, 2016). "Yankton businessman to challenge Thune". KOTA-TV . Archived from the original on February 20, 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  5. Mercer, Bob (March 21, 2015). "Are Democrats just a Daschle away from a revival?". Black Hills Pioneer . Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  6. Lawrence, Tom (January 26, 2016). "Daschle, Lott: Congress must work together". Black Hills Pioneer . Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 Lawrence, Tom (July 1, 2015). "Will anyone take on Thune in 2016?". Prairie Perspective. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  8. Heidelberger, Cory (February 8, 2016). "Defend Voters, Support Education, Fight Corruption: Heidelberger Declares for District 3 Senate". Dakota Free Press. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  9. 1 2 Levinson, Alexis (February 18, 2015). "Brendan Johnson Discusses His Future in South Dakota (Updated)". Roll Call . Archived from the original on September 14, 2015. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  10. 1 2 Tupper, Seth (December 14, 2015). "Thune frolicking through another opponent-less election season". Rapid City Journal . Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  11. 1 2 Woster, Kevin (August 24, 2015). "Hurst for U.S. Senate in 2016? Well …". KELO-TV . Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  12. Levinson, Alexis (March 18, 2015). "Potential Thune Challenger Bows Out". Roll Call . Archived from the original on August 16, 2015. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
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  14. "Dem Chances for a US Senate candidate looking even more dismal…". South Dakota War College. August 23, 2015. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  15. Heidelberger, Cory (August 31, 2015). "Epp Suggests Drafting Schreck to Challenge Thune". Dakota Free Press. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  16. Hendershot, Evan (February 15, 2016). "State Sen. Sutton hasn't counted out run for governor". Mitchell Daily Republic . Archived from the original on February 20, 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  17. "Rick Weiland returns with new nonpartisan political group". Rapid City Journal . March 18, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  18. Winger, Richard (August 15, 2016). "U.S. District Court Won't Put Constitution Party Nominees for U.S. Senate and Legislature on South Dakota Ballot, Due to a Legal Technicality". Ballot Access News. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  19. Heidelberger, Cory (August 18, 2016). "Constitution Party Still Fighting to Place Evans and Schmidt on Ballot". Dakota Free Press. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  20. Heidelberger, Cory (September 8, 2016). "Constitution Party Definitely Not Getting Evans and Schmidt on Ballot". Dakota Free Press. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  21. SurveyMonkey
  22. SurveyMonkey
  23. SurveyMonkey
  24. SurveyMonkey
  25. SurveyMonkey
  26. SurveyMonkey
  27. Nielson Brothers Polling Archived November 2, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  28. Remington Research Group
  29. Mason-Dixon Archived October 26, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  30. "2016 Senate Race Ratings for November 2, 2016". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  31. "2016 Senate". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  32. "2016 Senate Ratings". Senate Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  33. "Daily Kos Election 2016 forecast: The final version". Daily Kos. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  34. "Battle for the Senate 2016". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
  35. "Official Canvass. 2016 General Election - November 08, 2016" (PDF). Elections. Retrieved February 5, 2023.

Official campaign websites