Searchlight Report

The two candidates for South Dakota governor recently met for a final debate before the Nov. 3 general election, hosted by South Dakota Public Broadcasting and South Dakota News Watch. In this episode of Searchlight Report, host Meghan O’Brien recaps the debate , including disagreements on data center laws, school funding and how the state helps private companies. Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden took...

A question on the Nov. 3 general election ballot will ask South Dakotans to add language to the state constitution specifying that people who are not U.S. citizens are disqualified from voting. The state constitution already includes citizenship as a voting eligibility requirement. Two years ago, state officials discovered 273 non-U.S. citizens had accidentally been registered to vote in South Dak...

South Dakota has collected over $1 billion in unclaimed property over the years, from sources including abandoned cash, stocks, bank accounts and even gold teeth. Much of that money has gone into the state budget, because not all of the rightful owners come forward to claim their property. Yet they could come forward at any time. That’s why lawmakers decided to start putting those assets into a ca...

One of four ballot questions voters will consider on Nov. 3 would make it harder for state constitutional amendments to pass. South Dakota lawmakers can place amendments on the ballot, and so can citizens if they collect enough signatures from registered South Dakota voters. Ballot questions currently need a simple majority from voters to pass, but Amendment L would change that. If it passes — iro...

Brian Bengs is an independent running in the Nov. 3 election against incumbent Republican Mike Rounds for a seat representing South Dakota in the U.S. Senate. Bengs, a veteran of the Air Force and Navy who has a law degree and formerly taught at Northern State University in Aberdeen, previously ran in 2022 as a Democrat against Republican Sen. John Thune, who’s now the majority leader. Bengs joine...

Former South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s trepidation about being honored with a statue while she’s still alive, her potential political future, and her love for a horse were among the topics she spoke about publicly during her return to South Dakota’s capital city earlier this month, where she helped reveal a statue in her honor. The bronze statue of her and the front half of her favorite horse, Ice...

After a bruising South Dakota primary season in which 16 incumbent Republican legislators lost and four Republicans battled for the governor nomination, the party is at a crossroads. South Dakota’s House Majority Leader Scott Odenbach, R-Spearfish, was voted by his peers into his leadership position in 2024, after major turnover in the lawmaking body that year. Odenbach spoke with Searchlight Repo...

Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota joins Searchlight Report to talk about his friendship with the late Sen. Lindsey Graham , a request for more information about a Wounded Knee Massacre medals review, his support of "clandestine" efforts to investigate Postal Service problems, and the future of water pipeline projects in the state.

Republican political commentator Pat Powers joins Searchlight Report once again — this time to give his takes on Tuesday’s runoff election for the Republican nomination for governor. Powers has been writing about South Dakota campaigns for more than 20 years on his South Dakota War College blog. South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden won 71% of the vote Tuesday and will continue campaigning to keep his jo...

South Dakota’s first statewide runoff election is Tuesday. Leading up to the polls opening, Searchlight Report host Meghan O’Brien takes listeners back to the beginning of the campaigns for the Republican nomination for governor, through debates and polling and to the final days leading up to Election Day. After a close four-way race , political outsider Toby Doeden received 31% of the vote in Jun...

Reporter and Searchlight Report host Meghan O’Brien climbed nearly 100 feet up into the South Dakota State Capitol dome with artists from the restoration firm Conrad Schmitt — project foreman Philip Atilano and Alyssa Johnson, one of the painters on Atilano’s crew.  They’re restoring decorative paint in the Capitol to its original glory — after some decades-old touch-up work they say was done with...

After three years, $14 million in funding from state lawmakers and $2 million from donors, the museum at South Dakota’s Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre opened its doors again to the public this week. The renovations include upgraded museum exhibits and additional space for the State Historical Society to continue collecting for decades to come. The South Dakota Historical Society Foundation is...

While many people are looking ahead to next week’s celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday, including a fireworks display with President Trump at Mount Rushmore , many Native Americans on the Great Plains have been focused on a different anniversary this week: the 150th commemoration of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Also known as the Battle of the Greasy Grass, it was a major Native America...

Nathan Sanderson, executive director of the 4,000-member South Dakota Retailers Association , wants to “make state government boring again.” He joins Searchlight Report host Meghan O’Brien to explain why, and to talk about how another major turnover in South Dakota’s Legislature — including the recent ousting of 16 incumbents — could help make it happen.

Republican political commentator Pat Powers has been writing about South Dakota campaigns for more than 20 years on his South Dakota War College blog. He joins Searchlight Report host Meghan O’Brien to break down what he calls “the fatal error” in the race for the Republican nomination for governor.  After four Republicans sought their party’s nomination, none succeeded in getting the 35% needed t...

Longtime South Dakota journalist and Searchlight commentary writer Kevin Woster joins Searchlight Report host Meghan O’Brien to discuss the race for South Dakota’s Republican nomination for governor. The race is headed for South Dakota’s first-ever top two runoff in a statewide contest. No candidate reached the 35% of voters needed to secure a win Tuesday night. Advance voting for the runoff will...

In this episode of Searchlight Report, host and reporter Meghan O’Brien talks with Samantha Chapman of the American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota about the things voters need to know for the primary election: why they might have something to vote on even if they think they don’t, what to do when their rights are questioned, what to know about new laws regarding citizenship, why it’s smart...

In this special edition of the Searchlight Report, host Meghan O’Brien interviews U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson , one of four people running for the Republican nomination for governor of South Dakota. In a series of four episodes , O’Brien asked all four candidates the same set of questions on topics including abortion, relationships with tribal nations, climate change, taxes and Medicaid. She also aske...

In this special edition of the Searchlight Report, host Meghan O’Brien interviews Jon Hansen , speaker of the state House and one of four people running for the Republican nomination for governor of South Dakota. In a series of four episodes, O’Brien asked all four candidates the same set of questions on topics including abortion, relationships with tribal nations, climate change, taxes and Medica...

In this special edition of the Searchlight Report, host Meghan O’Brien interviews Gov. Larry Rhoden , one of four people running for the Republican nomination for governor of South Dakota. In a series of four episodes, O’Brien asked all four candidates the same set of questions on topics including abortion, relationships with tribal nations, climate change, taxes and Medicaid. She also asked each...

In this special edition of the Searchlight Report, host Meghan O’Brien interviews Toby Doeden , an Aberdeen businessman and one of four Republicans running for their party's nomination for governor of South Dakota. In a series of four episodes, O’Brien asked all four candidates the same set of questions on topics including abortion, relationships with tribal nations, climate change, taxes and Medi...

This week’s episode of Searchlight Report features Reporters Joshua Haiar and Makenzie Huber and Editor Seth Tupper in conversation with host Meghan O’Brien about their series on how and when South Dakotans will be impacted by new laws that use higher sales taxes to reduce property taxes.

In this week’s episode of Searchlight Report, reporter and host Meghan O’Brien takes listeners through the expense and unease surrounding a fireworks celebration at Mount Rushmore, including an ongoing drought and potential harm to endangered species, as well as resistance from Indigenous groups in the Black Hills. Also, a final debate between the state’s four Republican gubernatorial candidates h...

In this week’s Searchlight Report podcast episode, host Meghan O’Brien talks to both sides in a dispute over proposed drilling for uranium in South Dakota’s Black Hills. She also explains Gov. Larry Rhoden’s $10 million in grants to spur defense contracting and bring a gunsmithing program to the state , plus a legislative board’s decision to raise the pay of the state investment officer despite co...

This week, reporter and Searchlight Report host Meghan O’Brien brings listeners the key moments — courtesy of KELO-TV — from the first debate in the race for South Dakota’s Republican nomination for governor. She also has highlights from the Legislature’s Veto Day , including the fate of legislation on lab-grown meat, in-home care and a deteriorating dam .