Sonja Mentzer

Sonja Mentzer is a Democratic candidate for South Dakota House of Representatives District 11, a two-seat district, in the November 3, 2026 general election; incumbent Republicans Brian Mulder and Keri Weems and Libertarian Tracey Quint are also on the ballot.[1][2] She is a director of operations at a non-emergency transportation company and ran for the same seat in 2024.[2][3]

Sonja Mentzer was born in Aberdeen, South Dakota, graduated from Chamberlain High School, and earned a bachelor's degree from South Dakota State University in 2001.[2] In a Ballotpedia survey, she said she grew up in Chamberlain, spent six years as the general manager of a fast food restaurant after college, and is now the director of operations for a non-emergency transportation company.[3] She said she is the mother of an active duty U.S. Marine and a high school senior.[3]

Mentzer was a Democratic candidate for South Dakota House District 11 in 2024 and lost the general election to incumbents Brian Mulder and Keri Weems.[2] In her 2026 Ballotpedia survey, she said her key campaign messages are making health care more accessible and affordable and opposing what she described as attacks on public schools.[3] She named economic development, health care and education as her policy interests.[3]

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