Chris Nelson (politician)

Chris Nelson is the former Secretary of State of South Dakota. A Republican, he was a candidate to become U.S. Representative from South Dakota's At-large congressional district in 2010 but lost to Kristi Noem in the Republican primary.
Nelson gained prominence as a key constitutional figure in any possible replacement of Democratic U.S. Senator Tim Johnson, who suffered stroke-like bleeding in the brain caused by a congenital malformation known as arteriovenous malformation. In the event of the office being "vacant" (through death or incapacitation; the definition and meaning of which is subject to various interpretations by constitutional law experts), South Dakota law provides for the governor to name a replacement.
Johnson declined to run for re-election for health reasons and was succeeded by the former Governor of South Dakota Mike Rounds, a Republican.