KOTA Territory News Interview Follow Up

For those following my campaign who were looking forward to my interview with Karli West of KOTA Territory News, here is an article summarizing our discussion from the interview on Monday, October 12, 2026. The article was published on the KOTA Territory News website today at: https://www.kotatv.com/2026/10/21/political-pulse-anthony-kathol-hopes-flip-historically-democratic-senate-seat-district-27/

Political Pulse: Anthony Kathol hopes to flip historically Democratic Senate seat in District 27

Republican candidate says he feels good about his chances to flip a historically Democratic seat

By Karli West

Published: Oct. 21, 2026 at 7:30 AM MDT|Updated: 2 hours ago

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - District 27 is one of the largest districts geographically in South Dakota, and one of the most culturally diverse. With longtime Democratic Senator Red Dawn Foster term-limited, an open seat has attracted three candidates to the race.

Anthony Kathol is running as the Republican candidate. It’s Kathol’s second time running for political office. In 2024, Kathol fell short of unseating the incumbent by only 289 votes.

“I feel very good about this open seat to be honest with you. I have now experience, from the first time I ran two years ago.” Kathol said. “I know where to put my resources, if you will.”

Kathol says he was born and raised on a 320 acre family farm near Yankton. As a devout Catholic, he says he defines himself first and foremost by his faith. He graduated from the South Dakota School of Mines in 1991. During his lengthy career as a civil engineer across the country, he was eventually assigned to his home state where he designed water and sewer infrastructure on the Pine Ridge reservation.

Kathol says his strategy is in part is counting on campaign support translating into voters filling out their ballots on election day. “As long as my supporters—Republicans, some independents—I have Democrats also voting for me,” he said. “If they get out to vote on November 3rd, there’s no reason why I cannot flip this seat red.”

Kathol says he believes the Democratic Party has since drifted from the values it once held, as he recollected being raised in a household with a father who he describes as a “Reagan Democrat.”

“Well the Democratic Party has pretty much abandoned those party platforms of for the common man,” Kathol said. “The Democratic Socialists have pretty much taken over the party. They have taken the mask off, and revealed to us who they really are. They do not like our country, they do not like the foundational principles that this country was founded on. They want to just destroy it. And I’m all about freedom.”

Kathol said his campaign platform is centered on what he calls “protecting the South Dakota way of life” with faith, service and accountability being his three campaign pillars.

Kathol says this year’s race is also unique compared to races in other Senate districts, “This seat also, is the only State Senate seat in the whole state of South Dakota that is a three person race.”

“The national Republican committee is very interested in my race. And they are watching this race very closely,” Kathol said. “Because they think that I can make history in this district—in flipping this open seat. And this will be historical in the state of South Dakota. And I hope to do it. I am willing to do it, and I’m confident I can do it.”

His fun fact is that a year after finishing active duty military service, he almost became a Benedictine monk. “For the rest of my life, I was willing to give up my pension, my vehicle, my home, and any assets that I had to serve the Lord.”

The other candidates in the race are Independent candidate Peri Pourier and Democratic candidate Celestine Stadnick.