Rep. Josephine Garcia formally enters the race for State Senate District 05

Rep. Josephine Garcia announces her candidacy for State Senate District 05, highlighting the importance of every vote.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The race for South Dakota’s State Senate District 05 officially intensified this week as State Representative Josephine Garcia (R-Watertown) successfully filed her nominating petitions with the Secretary of State’s office.

The filing, confirmed on March 11, 2026, marks Garcia’s formal bid to move from the House to the Senate. A freshman legislator who assumed office in early 2025, Garcia has quickly become a prominent figure in the South Dakota Freedom Caucus. She is perhaps best known for her recent sponsorship of House Bill 1209, a high-profile measure requiring all South Dakota employers to use the federal E-Verify system for citizenship and immigration status checks.

The primary, scheduled for June 2, 2026, will see Garcia face off against fellow Republican Glen A. Vilhauer. Vilhauer, also of Watertown, qualified for the ballot in February.

Garcia, who owns and operates the Garcia Family Clinic in Watertown, has centered much of her legislative work on healthcare and education.

As of today, no Democratic candidates have filed for the District 05 Senate seat, meaning the winner of the June GOP primary will likely be the favorite to represent the district in Pierre come 2027.