Dan Ahlers

Ahlers was born in Dell Rapids on November 14, 1973, and returned there for high school after his family lived in Rapid City and Gillette, Wyoming.[1] He worked as an assistant manager at Menards from 1992 to 2001 and graduated from Augustana University in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in government and international affairs.[1] In 1999 he opened Video Plus, a video rental store in Dell Rapids, later opened stores in Hartford and Tea and sold both in 2005; the Dell Rapids store closed in 2019.[1] He also owned the Jabberwock Coffee House from 2008 to 2011 and has been a substitute teacher in the Dell Rapids School District.[1]

Ahlers represented District 25, which includes Dell Rapids and areas north and northeast of Sioux Falls, serving in the state House from 2007 to 2009, in the state Senate from 2009 to 2011 and again in the House from 2017 to 2019.[1] He lost his 2018 re-election bid to Republican Tom Pischke by 101 votes.[1] In 2020 he was the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate and lost to Republican incumbent Mike Rounds, 66% to 34%.[1]

Ahlers has been active in his community, serving as president of the Haven before and after school program and of the Dell Rapids Community Fund, and as president of the Dell Rapids Chamber of Commerce until he stepped down in February 2021 after 12 years.[1] He was hired as executive director of the South Dakota Democratic Party in early 2023 and rehired that October.[1] He announced his campaign for governor in February 2026, saying he would build a coalition around education, small business, family farms and affordable health care, and opposing private companies' access to eminent domain.[1][2] In a September 2026 interview with Dakota News Now he named rural health care access and the overall cost of living as his top concerns and said South Dakota does not need a state income tax.[3]

Ahlers is married to Amy, and they have two children.[1]