Dem poll finds slim GOP lead in SD governor race

Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) leads South Dakota state Sen. Billie Sutton (D) by just 4 points in South Dakota’s gubernatorial race, according to a new poll from Democratic polling firm Anzalone Liszt Grove Research. 

The survey, which was commissioned by Sutton, found that Noem currently leads Sutton 46 percent to 42 percent, with 13 percent of voters polled remaining undecided in the reliably red state.

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The poll also shows Sutton has won over some voters in Noem’s own party.

Twenty-one percent of registered Republicans surveyed said they would vote for Sutton, and he leads Noem among unaffiliated voters by 19 points. 

“[Sutton] is competitive with Noem because voters know and like him, and he takes a lead in polling when voters hear profile information about both candidates to simulate voters getting to know them better,” the polling firm writes. 

Sutton has a 6 point lead when voters hear information about both candidates, according to the poll. 

South Dakota hasn’t elected a Democratic governor since 1974 and President Trump won the state by nearly 30 points in the 2016 election.

The Anzalone Liszt Grove Research poll was conducted among a sample of 500 South Dakota voters from July 19-25. The margin of error is 4.4 percentage points.