Lewis GrassRope

Lewis GrassRope is the Democratic candidate for the South Dakota House of Representatives District 26B in the November 3, 2026 general election, facing Republican Angi Hanzlik; the race has no incumbent.[1][2] A community organizer, he said in a Ballotpedia survey that he was born and raised on the Lower Brule Sioux Reservation and is running to protect constitutional rights and treaty obligations.[2][3]

Lewis GrassRope earned a high school diploma from Lower Brule High School, and his career experience includes working as a community organizer, according to Ballotpedia.[2] He advanced from the June 2, 2026 Democratic primary without appearing on the ballot after the primary was canceled.[2]

In a Ballotpedia survey, GrassRope said he was born and raised on the Lower Brule Sioux Reservation, still lives there, and decided to run in part because of the current state of national politics.[3] He said he is running to ensure that all ways of life have the safeguards and protections provided by the U.S. Constitution and that he is committed to ensuring treaty obligations are upheld.[3] He described his life and leadership as focused on grassroots and tribal leadership and as a protector of resources, and named policy that threatens his community's ways of life as his area of greatest concern.[3]

Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21. Not yet independently fact-checked.