South Dakota Democrats seek new message for voter momentum

In South Dakota, where Republicans hold 96 of 105 legislative seats, Dan Ahlers is trying to do something that feels close to impossible: rebuild the state’s Democratic Party. Once a force in rural America, Democrats now face deep skepticism in places like Dell Rapids, where even familiar faces can’t overcome the stigma of the party label. This article traces the long decline—and glimmers of renewal—for Democrats in a one-party state, where organizing at the grassroots may be their only path forward. Stu Whitney with South Dakota News Watch has the story of how one political party is attempting to make itself relevant again on a prairie that has a lot in common with North Dakota.