New House speaker weathers rare opposition in nomination vote

South Dakota speaker elected after congressional speaker took days to win

Rep. Hugh Bartels takes the oath of office for South Dakota House speaker on Jan. 10, 2022. (Jonathan Ellis/The Dakota Scout)

It wasn’t the high-stakes showdown that the congressional speaker of the House contest turned into, not even close.

But the South Dakota House of Representatives had a rare speaker vote Tuesday in which Republicans voted against the nomination of Rep. Hugh Bartels to be speaker. Bartels, a Watertown Republican, won comfortably, but the opposition to his nomination was rare.

In all, 14 Republicans of the 63-member caucus voted against Bartels. The vote was a sign that the GOP caucus will be divided in the 98th Legislative Session.

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