Dan Ahlers
Nothing was located in which Ahlers speaks for himself about U.S. weapons or money for the government of Israel, or about aid to Palestinians. His campaign site is healthcare, housing and the state budget. A party statement issued while he directed the party is on his research page.
Ahlers is the Democratic nominee for governor of South Dakota, a former state legislator and a small-business owner. He has never held federal office, so none of the congressional votes this site tracks are his.
The line this site has been carrying about him, that he has been associated with statements critical of Israeli military action, now has a document behind it. In May 2024 the South Dakota Democratic Party issued a statement on the war which said the threat to halt some American weapons shipments was "a positive step forward in protecting the lives of innocent men, women and children, as well as the hostages", and which described the deaths and displacement in Gaza alongside the attack that began the war. The same page names him as the party's executive director and gives his email as the contact for questions.
That is a party's position, not his. He is not quoted in it, it is not signed by him, and being the contact on a release is not the same as being its author. Nothing was located in which he speaks for himself about U.S. weapons, U.S. money, aid to Palestinians or the conflict, and his campaign site is healthcare, housing, the state budget, infrastructure and education, with no foreign-policy content at all.
If you want his own position on what the United States sends, you are better placed to get it than we are: ask Ahlers directly and send us the reply. It goes on this page in his own words.
Research
U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel
- Nothing located in his own words, in any band. A fresh search of the open record in August 2026 reached the same conclusion in its own words: there is no documented personal statement or legislative action by him on U.S. military aid or weapons shipments.
- [Party document, 2024-05-10] The South Dakota Democratic Party's statement on the war, dated on the page and read and confirmed word for word. Its words on the American question: "The threat by President Biden to stop shipments of some US weapons to Israel is a positive step forward in protecting the lives of innocent men, women and children, as well as the hostages who have been kidnapped by Hamas. We are also hopeful that more aid will soon be delivered to people in Gaza with a military pier and causeway now constructed." The release names him: "For questions, you can contact the SDDP Executive Director Dan Ahlers." This is a party statement while he ran the party's office. It is not signed by him, it does not quote him, and no wording in it is attributed to him personally.
U.S. aid to Palestinians
- Nothing located in his own words. The party statement above hoped for more aid delivery into Gaza.
Characterization of the conflict
- Nothing located in his own words. The party statement's characterization, also confirmed: "The actions by Hamas on October 7th were a horrific attack on Israel, and those who have been kidnapped should be protected and brought home. However, the actions by Israel to defend itself have led to the deaths of more than 30,000 people in Gaza, many of whom are children."
- Note on the inherited line: this record's summary said he had been "associated with statements that reflect a more critical stance toward Israel's military actions compared to his Republican counterparts", with no statement named, no date and no source. The document above is almost certainly what it meant. It is a party statement, which is why the card says so in its own third sentence.
Related rhetoric and lobbying
- No endorsement located on either side; this record's endorsement check resolved empty against the state party site.
Safety and antisemitism (context)
- Nothing located in his own words. The party statement said the party "must take responsibility to educate and intervene when it comes to antisemitism and Islamophobia within our communities".
Race and status context
- Democratic nominee for governor of South Dakota, per Ballotpedia's race page and his Ballotpedia profile.
- [Position, read 2026-08-17] Campaign site: experience as a business owner, chamber of commerce administrator and state legislator; healthcare, housing, the state budget, infrastructure and education. No foreign-policy content of any kind.
- His role as the state party's executive director, which this record asserted without a receipt, is confirmed by the party's own release above.
- His tracked vote cells are all not-in-office.
Also in this race: Terry Gleason (Independent), Larry Rhoden (Republican) · All South Dakota candidates.
See the full record →But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. Every claim on this page goes through at least two verification steps. Open the interactive card for votes, funding and contact details.