Headline Roundup • September 29th, 2025
Democratic State Rep Announces Switch to Republican Party
Federal State And Tribal Powers,Politics,US House Of Representatives,South Dakota,Indigenous Peoples,Bias By Omission
Summary from the AllSides News Team
State Rep. Peri Pourier (SD) announced last week that she was leaving the Democratic Party and re-registering as a Republican, in a “strategic recalibration” to protect tribal sovereignty.
The Details: Pourier, a member of the Oglala Lakota Tribe, represents District 27 in SD, which contains the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Her new party affiliation will bring the state’s House of Representatives to a 65-5 Republican majority.
Pourier’s Statement: “Federal policy is changing course, and local, state, and tribal governments are facing the consequences… I will not wait for permission to protect our children, our elders, and our homelands. I will be present where decisions are made to ensure our voices are not just heard, but prioritized. The core tenets of the Republican Party, decentralized government, self-determination, economic prosperity, lower energy costs, and robust public safety align with the principle of tribal sovereignty. By contrast, well-intentioned Democratic reforms have too often undermined sovereignty… This is not about partisan loyalty. It is about loyalty to the people.”
How The Media Covered It: AllSides only found coverage of this story from national news media on the right, such as Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias), and local news media in the center, such as Dakota News Now (Center). The lack of coverage on the left reflects a bias by omission.
Written by the AllSides staff (of humans). Learn more. Support our mission. Suggest an improvement to this summary.
Featured Coverage of this Story
Washington Examiner
A Democratic South Dakota state representative has changed her party registration to Republican, citing the party’s alignment with tribal sovereignty.
State Rep. Peri Pourier, who had served in the state’s lower chamber as a Democrat since 2019, leaves the state’s Democrats with just five members to 65 Republicans...
South Dakota Rep. Peri Pourier has officially announced her change in party from a Democrat to a Republican, according to a post from the Representative’s Facebook page.
“Leaders who fail to adapt will leave their communities vulnerable. I refuse to be passive.” Pourier said in her Facebook post. “I will not wait for permission to protect our children, our elders, and our homelands. I will be present where decisions are made — to ensure our voices are not just heard but prioritized.”
Pourier is the State Representative for District 27...
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