U.S. House · South Dakota At-Large

Statewide, South Dakota (single at-large congressional district).

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

✓ Fact-checked 2026-09-25: 20 claims re-checked against their sources · 1 corrected · 0 removed

A second, independent research pass re-opened every cited source for this race and corrected or removed anything the source didn’t support.

Corrected Marty Jackley background claim that he was 'elected to the office four times total' as Attorney General: Ballotpedia shows he was appointed in 2009 and elected in 2010, 2014, and 2022 (three elections, not four).

Open seat: incumbent Dusty Johnson (R) is not seeking re-election to the House and withdrew from this race, running instead for Governor of South Dakota in 2026. Marty Jackley, the sitting South Dakota Attorney General, defeated James Bialota 79.2%-20.8% in the June 2, 2026 Republican primary (Casey Crabtree and Dusty Johnson also withdrew from that primary). Nicole Gronli (also known as Nikki Gronli) advanced unopposed after South Dakota's Democratic primary was canceled. Jack Pittman (independent) did not make the general-election ballot.[1]

On the ballot · 2 candidates

Marty JackleyRAttorney General of South Dakota (2023-present; previously 2009-2019)

Raised $1.4M · spent $376K · $1.1M cash on hand (through 2026-06-30) FEC filing ↗

Nicole GronliD

Raised $262K · spent $151K · $111K cash on hand (through 2026-06-30) FEC filing ↗

Where they stand — side by side

Only positions documented in a cited source are shown. Where an officeholder’s recorded votes speak to an issue, the votes set the position (marked “votes”). A dash means we found no clear public position — not that the candidate has none.

ISSUE	Marty Jackley R	Nicole Gronli D
Stricter gun laws	Opposes[3]	—
Expand immigration enforcement and deportations	Supports[3]	—
Increase police funding and staffing	Supports[3]	—

The candidates, in full

Marty Jackley

RAttorney General of South Dakota (2023-present; previously 2009-2019)

Marty Jackley is the Republican nominee for South Dakota's open at-large House seat. He is the sitting South Dakota Attorney General and a former U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota, running on public safety, border security and support for the Trump administration's agenda.[2][3]

Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.

Positions on the issues

SupportsExpand immigration enforcement and deportations
Calls for securing the border, finishing the border wall, and says he has prosecuted traffickers who bring drugs across it.[3]
“Secure the border, finish the wall, and let law enforcement do its job.”
OpposesStricter gun laws
Says the right to keep and bear arms is not negotiable and cites an A+ rating from the NRA.[3]
“The right to keep and bear arms is not negotiable.”
SupportsIncrease police funding and staffing
Says he will back police, sheriffs and prosecutors with the tools and respect they have earned.[3]

In their words — priorities

Public safety: backing police, sheriffs and prosecutors, drawing on his career prosecuting violent crime as Attorney General.[3]
Border and immigration: securing the border and "finishing the wall," citing his prosecution of drug traffickers.[3]
Supporting the Trump administration's agenda, including securing the border and cutting taxes.[3]

Background

Earned a bachelor's degree from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (1992) and a law degree from the University of South Dakota (1995).[2]
Worked as a partner at Gunderson, Palmer, Nelson & Ashmore, LLP, and as a special assistant attorney general for South Dakota.[2]
Served as U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota from 2006 to 2009.[2]
Has served as South Dakota Attorney General from 2009 to 2019 and again from 2023 to present; appointed to the office in 2009 and elected to it in 2010, 2014, and 2022.[2][3]

Campaign money

Raised $1.4M · spent $376K · $1.1M cash on hand (through 2026-06-30) FEC filing ↗

Campaign website ↗Shareable profile page

Nicole Gronli

Nicole Gronli (also known as Nikki) is the Democratic nominee for South Dakota's open at-large House seat. She is a small-business owner and former state director of USDA Rural Development in South Dakota.[4]