The South Dakota Searchlight is a left-of-center news website with a focus on South Dakota’s state-level politics. The website is a part of the left-of-center States Newsroom, a network of left-of-center state-focused news outlets initially supported by the Hopewell Fund. ¹

The website has a far-left critical race theory-inspired “diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice” policy that guides its news coverage. ²

In June 2023, the website ran an op-ed which called abortion restrictions and prohibitions on child sex changes “an attack on liberty.” ³

Background

In October 2022, the South Dakota Searchlight was founded by States Newsroom. States Newsroom is a network of left-of-center state-focused news outlets initially supported by the Hopewell Fund, which is part of the Arabella Advisors-managed network of liberal “dark money.” ⁴

The South Dakota Searchlight’s website is free for all its users and features no paywalls. The website allows others to republish its content for free in exchange for attribution. ⁵

DEIJ Policy

The South Dakota Searchlight has a critical race theory-inspired “diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice” (DEIJ) policy. The policy claims that “bias and systemic racism” are present throughout journalism. ⁶

The policy’s stated goal is to produce journalism that challenges the inequality and racism many readers experience. The policy claims that the values of diversity and equity dictate what stories to cover, which sources to use, and which language to use. ⁷

Selected Commentaries

Opposition To Medicaid Work Requirements

In February 2023, the South Dakota Searchlight published an op-ed by Matthew McLarty, the South Dakota government relations director of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, who claimed that Medicaid work requirements would undermine the referendum that voters approved to expand Medicaid and therefore threaten cancer care. McLarty claimed that 40 to 85 percent of cancer patients stop working during their treatment. ⁸

Anti-Gun Commentaries

In April 2023, the South Dakota Searchlight published an op-ed by Dana Hess attacking the state’s all-Republican Congressional delegation for not supporting anti-gun legislation and for their National Rifle Association (NRA) “A+” ratings. Hess also described increasing security at schools as “turning schools into armed camps.” ⁹

In May 2023, Hess also wrote an op-ed saying that South Dakota legislators “loved the Second Amendment too much” by supporting pro-gun legislation including passing permitless carry into law. ¹⁰

In May 2023, the website published an op-ed by Laura Pritchett attacking the Second Amendment as “murkily written” and complained about guns becoming “weapons of mass destruction.” She praised the gun-control advocacy group Moms Demand Action and called for a ban on commonly-owned semi-automatic weapons and not voting for anyone who took NRA money. ¹¹

Advocacy For Child Sex Changes and Abortion

In June 2023, South Dakota Searchlight published an op-ed by ACLU of South Dakota advocacy manager Samantha Chapman who called abortion restrictions and bans on child sex changes “attacks on liberty.” She also claimed abortion-access and child sex changes “give us the freedom to determine our own paths in life and to defy barriers that oppress and erase women and LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit people.” ¹²

“Top Two” Electoral System

In November 2023, the South Dakota Searchlight published an op-ed by Joe Kirby advocating for a “top two” system which he called an open primary. The system would require all candidates to run in an open primary and the top two candidates would move on to the general election, regardless of party. ¹³

Leadership

The South Dakota Searchlight’s editor-in-chief is Seth Tupper. Tupper is a long-time journalist and author. ¹⁴

1. Deutch, Gabby. “A website wanted to restore trust in the media. It’s actually a political operation.” The Washington Post. February 6, 2020. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/02/06/is-it-local-journalism-or-just-local-propaganda/
2. “Deij Policy .” South Dakota Searchlight. Accessed March 25, 2024. https://southdakotasearchlight.com/deij-policy/.
3. Chapman, Samantha. “Bans on Abortion and Gender-Affirming Care Are Attacks on Liberty .” South Dakota Searchlight, June 7, 2023. https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2023/06/07/bans-on-abortion-and-gender-affirming-care-are-attacks-on-liberty/.
4. Deutch, Gabby. “A website wanted to restore trust in the media. It’s actually a political operation.” The Washington Post. February 6, 2020. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/02/06/is-it-local-journalism-or-just-local-propaganda/.
5. “About.” South Dakota Searchlight. Accessed March 25, 2024. https://southdakotasearchlight.com/about/.
6.  “Deij Policy .” South Dakota Searchlight. Accessed March 25, 2024. https://southdakotasearchlight.com/deij-policy/.
7.  “Deij Policy .” South Dakota Searchlight. Accessed March 25, 2024. https://southdakotasearchlight.com/deij-policy/.
8. McLarty, Matthew. “Medicaid Work Requirement Would Undermine Election, Threaten Cancer Care.” South Dakota Searchlight, February 6, 2023. https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2023/02/06/medicaid-work-requirement-would-undermine-election-threaten-cancer-care/.
9. Hess, Dana. “South Dakota’s Members of Congress Are Wasting Their Potential Influence on Gun Violence .” South Dakota Searchlight, April 16, 2023. https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2023/04/16/south-dakotas-members-of-congress-are-wasting-their-potential-influence-on-gun-violence/.
10. Hess, Dana. “Maybe We Love the Second Amendment a Little Too Much .” South Dakota Searchlight, May 1, 2023. https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2023/05/01/maybe-we-love-the-second-amendment-a-little-too-much/.
11. Pritchett, Laura. “Guns Have Changed Everything, Especially Childhood .” South Dakota Searchlight, May 16, 2023. https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2023/05/16/guns-have-changed-everything-especially-childhood/.
12. Chapman, Samantha. “Bans on Abortion and Gender-Affirming Care Are Attacks on Liberty .” South Dakota Searchlight, June 7, 2023. https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2023/06/07/bans-on-abortion-and-gender-affirming-care-are-attacks-on-liberty/.
13. Kirby, Joe. “Open Primaries: Advocating for Fair and Competitive Elections .” South Dakota Searchlight, November 29, 2023. https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2023/11/29/open-primaries-advocating-for-fair-and-competitive-elections/.
14. “About.” South Dakota Searchlight. Accessed March 25, 2024. https://southdakotasearchlight.com/about/.