Mike Rounds | |
---|---|
![]() | |
United States Senator from South Dakota | |
Assumed office January 3, 2015 Servingwith John Thune | |
Preceded by | Tim Johnson |
31st Governor of South Dakota | |
In office January 7, 2003 –January 8, 2011 | |
Lieutenant | Dennis Daugaard |
Preceded by | Bill Janklow |
Succeeded by | Dennis Daugaard |
Member of the South Dakota Senate from the 24th district | |
In office January 3, 1991 –January 3, 2001 | |
Preceded by | Jacquie Kelley |
Succeeded by | Patricia de Hueck |
Personal details | |
Born | Marion Michael Rounds October 24, 1954 Huron, South Dakota, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | Jean Vedvei (m. 1978) |
Relations | Tim Rounds (brother) |
Children | 4 |
Education | South Dakota State University (BS) |
Website | Senate website |
Marion Michael Rounds (born October 24, 1954) is an American businessman and politician serving as the junior United States Senator from South Dakota since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 31st governor of South Dakota from 2003 to 2011, and in the South Dakota Senate from 1991 to 2001.
In 2014, Rounds was elected to the United States Senate, succeeding retiring Democrat Tim Johnson. He was reelected in 2020 over Democratic nominee Dan Ahlers.
The eldest of 11 children, Rounds was born in Huron, South Dakota, the son of Joyce (née Reinartz) and Don Rounds. [1] He has German, Belgian, Swedish and English ancestry. [1] Rounds has lived in the state capital of Pierre since he was three years old. He was named for an uncle, Marion Rounds, who was killed in the Pacific theater during World War II. [2] Several members of the Rounds family have been involved in state government. His father worked at various times as state director of highway safety, a staffer for Rural Electrification Administration, and executive director of the South Dakota Petroleum Council. [3] His brother Tim Rounds is a member of the South Dakota Legislature, representing District 24, which includes Pierre. [4] [5]
Rounds attended South Dakota State University in Brookings, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in political science. [2]
Rounds is a former partner in Fischer Rounds & Associates, an insurance and real estate firm with offices in Pierre, Rapid City, Mitchell, Watertown and Sioux Falls. [6]
This section needs additional citations for verification . (January 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) |
Rounds represented District 24, which was based in Pierre. In 1990, he defeated incumbent state Senator Jacqueline Kelley, 53%–47%. He was reelected in 1992 (60%), 1994 (77%), 1996 (66%), and 1998 (75%). [7] Rounds had to leave the Senate in 2000 because of legislative term limits South Dakota voters had passed in 1992. [8]
Rounds represented Hughes, Lyman, Stanley, and Sully counties. In 1993, he became Senate Minority Whip. In 1995, his peers selected him to be Senate Majority Leader. [9]
As the 2002 race for governor took shape, media and political observers largely dismissed Rounds as an extreme long shot. [14] Until late 2001, then-Congressman John Thune was the front-runner for the nomination. When Thune passed on the race to challenge Senator Tim Johnson, state Attorney General Mark Barnett and former Lieutenant Governor Steve T. Kirby quickly became candidates.
But the contest between Kirby and Barnett soon became very negative and dirty. Barnett attacked Kirby for not investing in companies based in South Dakota and for his involvement with Collagenesis, a company which removed skin from donated human cadavers and processed them for use. It became the subject of a scandal when it was revealed that the company was using the skins for much more lucrative cosmetic surgery such as lip and penis enhancements while burn victims "lie waiting in hospitals as nurses scour the country for skin to cover their wounds, even though skin is in plentiful supply for plastic surgeons". [15] Kirby invested in the company after the scandal broke and Barnett attacked him for it in television advertisements, [16] but the advertisements backfired because "the claims were so outlandish that people thought for sure that they were exaggerated or completely fabricated." [17]
After winning the Republican nomination, Rounds chose State Senator Dennis Daugaard of Dell Rapids as his running mate. Their Democratic opponents were University of South Dakota President Jim Abbott of Vermillion and his running mate, former State Representative Mike Wilson of Rapid City.
Rounds was elected governor on November 5, 2002. The results were as follows: [18]
Two Democratic candidates emerged to challenge Rounds: Jack Billion, a retired surgeon and former state legislator from Sioux Falls, and Dennis Wiese, the former president of the South Dakota Farmers Union. Billion easily won the nomination and selected Rapid City school board member Eric Abrahamson as his running mate.
The Rounds/Daugaard ticket was reelected on November 7, 2006. The results were as follows: [19]
Rounds served as a member of the Governors' Council at the Bipartisan Policy Center. [20] He was the 2008 Chair of the Midwestern Governors Association. [21]
Rounds's 2010 Initiative established ten research centers at state-supported universities. In the program's first four years, the state's first five research centers generated an estimated $59 million in federal and private funding, with an estimated $110 million economic impact. [22]
On February 22, 2006, the state legislature of South Dakota passed an act banning all medical abortions except those necessary to save the mother's life. Rounds signed the act on March 6 and the ban was to have taken effect on July 1, 2006, but did not, because of a court challenge. A referendum on repeal ing H.B. 1215 was placed on the ballot for the November 2006 statewide election due to a petition. [23] On May 30, over 38,000 signatures were filed, more than twice the 17,000 required to qualify. Voters repealed the law on November 7, 2006, the day of Rounds's reelection. [24]
According to a January 2006 Survey USA poll, Rounds had an approval rating of 73% and a net approval rating of +52%, which placed him among the five most popular governors. [25] Following the abortion ban, again according to a SurveyUSA poll, his approval rating dropped to 58%; after the ban was repealed, his approval rebounded to 70%. [26] [ better source needed ]
During Rounds's administration, South Dakota offered green cards to foreign investors in exchange for investments in a new South Dakota beef packing plant and other economic investments through the EB-5 visa program the federal government established in 1990. [27] [28] After the beef packing plant went bankrupt, questions emerged about the nature of the investments and the foreign investors. Some investors received neither their EB-5 visas nor the money back from their failed investments, with no indication as to where their money went. [29]
State officials misused funds to pay for their salaries, did not disclose that they owned companies which they gave contracts to, directed money to companies that went bankrupt and arranged for loans from unknown sources from shell companies located in tax havens. [30] [31] [32] In October 2014, Rounds admitted that he had approved a $1 million state loan to beef packing plant Northern Beef shortly after learning that Secretary of Tourism and State Development Richard Benda had agreed to join the company, with Benda then getting another $600,000 in state loans that was ultimately used to pay his own salary. [33] [34] Benda committed suicide in October 2013, days before a possible indictment over embezzlement and grand theft charges. [35]
Of 3D-printed weapons, Rounds has said, “This is a new technology which you’re not going to put back into the bottle. It is there.” He has suggested creating and using new technologies, such as metal detectors that can also recognize plastic, in schools, airports and other public places. [36]
Speculation persisted that in 2008 Rounds would seek the United States Senate seat held by Tim Johnson, a Democrat who had served since 1997. Johnson opted not to run for reelection. [37]
On November 29, 2012, Rounds launched a campaign [38] for the seat being vacated by Johnson's retirement. [39] He won the June 2014 Republican primary, defeating four other candidates. [40] Early polls showed Rounds leading by a 2–1 margin against Democratic opponent Rick Weiland. October 2014 polls showed a closer three-way race between Rounds, Weiland, and independent former Senator Larry Pressler. [41] Independent conservative former state legislator Gordon Howie was also in the race. [42]
In November Rounds was elected with a majority of the vote. The results were: [43]
In the 2020 election, Rounds defeated Scyller Borglum to win the Republican nomination. [44] He won the general election over Democrat Dan Ahlers with nearly 66% of the vote. [45]
In February 2019, Rounds was one of 20 senators to sponsor the Employer Participation in Repayment Act, enabling employers to contribute up to $5,250 to their employees' student loans as a means of granting them relief and incentivizing people to apply for jobs with employers who implement the policy. [46]
In 2017, Rounds was one of 22 senators to sign a letter [47] to President Donald Trump urging him to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Rounds has received over $200,000 from oil, gas and coal interests since 2012. [48] Rounds supported embattled Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt, who had come under scrutiny because of extraordinary expenditures for personal security and luxury travel, and the appearances of ethical conflicts, defending him on Meet the Press . Calling the criticism "nitpicking," he said, “I don’t know how much of it is overblown and how much of it is accurate, to be honest.” [49]
Rounds opposed the FIRST STEP Act, a bipartisan criminal justice reform bill that Trump signed into law. The bill passed 87–12 on December 18, 2018. [50]
In March 2018, Rounds co-sponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act (s. 720), which would make it a federal crime for Americans to encourage or participate in boycotts against Israel and Israeli settlements in the West Bank if protesting actions by the Israeli government. [51] [52]
Rounds opposes the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), and has voted to repeal it. [53] In 2019, he said he supported lawsuits seeking to overturn it. [54]
While attending South Dakota State University, Rounds met his wife, Jean, formerly of Lake Preston, South Dakota. They were married in 1978 and have four children. He is the older brother of Tim Rounds.
Rounds is a member of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church of Pierre. He is also a member of numerous service clubs and community organizations, including Elks, Exchange Club, Knights of Columbus and Ducks Unlimited.
In May 2011, Rounds's alma mater, South Dakota State University, gave him an honorary doctorate for public service. [55]
South Dakota State Senate District 24 Republican primary election, 1990 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | +% |
Republican | Mike Rounds | 2,188 | 62.69 | |
Republican | Kent Bowers | 1,302 | 37.31 |
South Dakota State Senate District 24 election, 1990 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | +% |
Republican | Mike Rounds | 4,790 | 52.54 | |
Democratic | Jacquie Kelly | 4,326 | 47.46 |
South Dakota State Senate District 24 election, 1992 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | +% |
Republican | Mike Rounds (Incumbent) | 6,591 | 59.93 | |
Democratic | Rick Riggle | 4,406 | 40.07 |
South Dakota State Senate District 24 election, 1994 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | +% |
Republican | Mike Rounds (Incumbent) | 8,270 | 77.35 | |
Independent | Mary Morin | 2,421 | 22.65 |
South Dakota State Senate District 24 election, 1996 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | +% |
Republican | Mike Rounds (Incumbent) | 7,070 | 66.01 | |
Democratic | Kenneth Meyer | 3,641 | 33.99 |
South Dakota State Senate District 24 election, 1998 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | +% |
Republican | Mike Rounds (Incumbent) | 7,374 | 74.93 | |
Democratic | Robert Hockett | 2,467 | 25.07 |
South Dakota Gubernatorial Republican primary election, 2002 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | +% |
Republican | Mike Rounds | 49,331 | 44.34 | |
Republican | Mark Barnett | 32,868 | 29.54 | |
Republican | Steve T. Kirby | 29,065 | 26.12 |
South Dakota Gubernatorial election, 2002 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | +% |
Republican | Mike Rounds | 189,920 | 56.77 | |
Democratic | Jim Abbott | 140,263 | 41.92 | |
Independent | James Carlson | 2,393 | 0.72 | |
Libertarian | Nathan Barton | 1,983 | 0.59 |
South Dakota Gubernatorial election, 2006 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | +% |
Republican | Mike Rounds (Incumbent) | 206,990 | 61.69 | |
Democratic | Jack BIllion | 121,226 | 36.13 | |
Constitution | Steven Willis | 4,010 | 1.20 | |
Libertarian | Tom Gerber | 3,282 | 0.98 |
South Dakota U.S. Senate Republican primary election, 2014 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | +% |
Republican | Mike Rounds | 41,377 | 55.54 | |
Republican | Larry Rhoden | 13,593 | 18.25 | |
Republican | Stace Nelson | 13,179 | 17.69 | |
Republican | Annette Bosworth | 4,283 | 5.75 | |
Republican | Jason Ravnsborg | 2,066 | 2.77 |
South Dakota U.S. Senate election, 2014 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | +% |
Republican | Mike Rounds | 140,741 | 50.37 | |
Democratic | Rick Weiland | 82,456 | 29.51 | |
Independent | Larry Pressler | 47,741 | 17.09 | |
Independent | Gordon Howie | 8,474 | 3.03 |
South Dakota U.S. Senate election, 2020 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | +% |
Republican | Mike Rounds | 276,232 | 65.74 | |
Democratic | Dan Ahlers | 143,987 | 34.26 |
Stephanie Marie Herseth Sandlin is an American attorney, university administrator, and politician from the Democratic Party. She served in the United States House of Representatives for South Dakota's at-large congressional district from 2004 until 2011. Sandlin was first elected to Congress in a special election on July 12, 2004 and was re-elected three times before losing her seat in Congress to Republican Kristi Noem in 2010. She was the youngest female member of the House, and the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from South Dakota. Before her 2007 marriage to Max Sandlin, she was known as Stephanie Herseth. She is a Democrat and a member of the prominent Herseth family of South Dakota, and president of Augustana University.
Larry Lee Pressler is an American politician from South Dakota who served in the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate as a Republican. He remained active in politics following his failed reelection campaign in 1996 and attempted to regain his former seat in 2014 as an independent, but was unsuccessful.
John Randolph Thune is an American politician serving as the senior United States Senator from South Dakota, a seat he was first elected to in 2004. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the U.S. Representative for South Dakota's at-large congressional district from 1997 to 2003. He became South Dakota's senior U.S. Senator with the retirement of Tim Johnson in 2015. He served as the GOP's Chief Deputy Whip in 2006, chairman of the Republican Policy Committee in June 2009, and Republican Conference Chairman in 2011, the third-ranking position in the Senate. He has worked in politics and civic organizations since completing his MBA graduate degree. He is also the current dean of South Dakota's congressional delegation. Thune was selected by the Senate Republican Conference to become the Majority Whip for the 116th Congress, succeeding Senator John Cornyn of Texas, who was term limited in the position. He is the presumptive Minority Whip once Democrats take control of the Senate, no sooner than January 20, 2021.
Dennis Martin Daugaard is an American attorney and politician who served as the 32nd governor of South Dakota from 2011 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he was the first chief executive of a U.S. state to be the child of deaf parents. Before being elected governor, he was a lawyer, banker, development director for a nonprofit organization; he also served as a state senator from 1997 to 2003 and the 37th lieutenant governor of South Dakota from 2003 to 2011.
The structure of the Government of South Dakota is based on that of the federal government, with three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. The structure of the state government is laid out in the Constitution of South Dakota, the highest law in the state. The constitution may be amended either by a majority vote of both houses of the legislature, or by voter initiative.
The 2010 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2010 to elect the Governor of South Dakota to a four-year term. Incumbent Republican Governor Mike Rounds was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
The 2014 United States Senate election in South Dakota took place on November 4, 2014, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of South Dakota, concurrently with the election of the Governor of South Dakota, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
The 2014 South Dakota gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota, concurrently with the election of South Dakota's Class II U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
Richard Paul Weiland is an American businessman, politician and member of the Democratic Party from the state of South Dakota. Weiland was the Chief Executive Officer of the International Code Council, was appointed by Bill Clinton to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and served as senior advisor to former U.S. Senator Tom Daschle.
Larry Rhoden is an American politician, serving as the 39th lieutenant governor of South Dakota since 2019. A Republican, he previously served in both houses of the South Dakota Legislature.
Lora L. Hubbel is an American politician and former state chair of the Constitution Party of South Dakota.
Christine Marie Erickson is an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, she has been an at-large member of the Sioux Falls City Council since 2014. She was previously a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives, representing District 11 from 2013 to 2014.
Kristen K. Langer is an American politician and a Republican member of the South Dakota Senate representing District 25. She was appointed by Governor Dennis Daugaard to the South Dakota House of Representatives after Jon Hansen resigned. In 2019, she became the South Dakota State Senate Majority Leader.
The 2016 United States Senate election in South Dakota was held November 8, 2016, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of South Dakota, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. The primaries were held June 7.
The 2018 South Dakota gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the next governor of South Dakota. Incumbent Republican governor Dennis Daugaard was term-limited and could not seek re-election to a third consecutive term.
The 2020 United States Senate election in South Dakota was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of South Dakota, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican Senator Mike Rounds was reelected to a second term in office.
The 2018 United States House of Representatives election in South Dakota was held on November 6, to elect the U.S. Representative for South Dakota's at-large congressional district. The election coincided with other statewide, legislative, and local elections.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of South Dakota on November 6, 2018. All of South Dakota's executive officers were up for election as well as South Dakota's at-large seat in the United States House of Representatives.
Dustin M. Johnson is an American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for South Dakota's at-large congressional district since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a South Dakota Public Utilities Commissioner from 2005 to 2011, when he was appointed chief of staff to Governor Dennis Daugaard, a position he retained until 2014. Between his state political career and congressional service, Johnson was the vice president of Vantage Point Solutions in Mitchell, South Dakota.
Scyller J. Borglum is an American politician and engineer from the state of South Dakota. A Republican, Borglum has served in the South Dakota House of Representatives for the 32nd district since 2018.
![]() | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mike Rounds . |
Party political offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Bill Janklow | Republican nominee for Governor of South Dakota 2002, 2006 | Succeeded by Dennis Daugaard |
Preceded by Joel Dykstra | Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from South Dakota (Class 2) 2014, 2020 | Most recent |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by Bill Janklow | Governor of South Dakota 2003–2011 | Succeeded by Dennis Daugaard |
U.S. Senate | ||
Preceded by Tim Johnson | U.S. Senator (Class 2) from South Dakota 2015–present Served alongside: John Thune | Incumbent |
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
Preceded by Steve Daines | United States Senators by seniority 70th | Succeeded by Thom Tillis |