The Democratic Senate nominee in South Dakota ended his campaign Tuesday following calls from party activists to exit the race and leave independent Brian Bengs as the main competitor against Republican Sen. Mike Rounds.
Julian Beaudion, a former state trooper, cited “extraordinary personal challenges,” including a house fire, financial struggles and “intimidating threats to drop out of this race,” as reasons for his decision.
He said in a statement posted to social media that he has no plans to endorse either Bengs or Rounds.
“The mental and physical safety of my family is my priority, and for this reason alone, I step aside,’’said Beaudion, who had the backing of former President Joe Biden. “This is a time for my family to heal and for the voters of South Dakota to choose a senator. Not a time for me to talk of specific threats and attacks. But rest assured that time will come.”
Bengs, a Navy and Air Force veteran who was the Democratic nominee against Senate Republican leader John Thune in 2022, issued a statement commending Beaudion’s “patriotic decision to make this a two-person race and put South Dakota first.”
