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Mike Rounds

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Mike Rounds
United States Senator
from South Dakota
Assumed office
January 3, 2015
Serving with John Thune
Preceded byTim Johnson
31st Governor of South Dakota
In office
January 7, 2003 – January 8, 2011
LieutenantDennis Daugaard
Preceded byBill Janklow
Succeeded byDennis Daugaard
Member of the South Dakota Senate
from the 24th district
In office
January 3, 1991 – January 3, 2001
Preceded byJacquie Kelley
Succeeded byPatricia de Hueck
Personal details
Born
Marion Michael Rounds

(1954-10-24) October 24, 1954 (age 70)
Huron, South Dakota, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Jean Vedvei
(m. 1978; died 2021)
Children4
RelativesTim Rounds (brother)
EducationSouth Dakota State University (BS)
WebsiteSenate 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.

Rounds was raised in Pierre, South Dakota. He attended South Dakota State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree. He was elected to the South Dakota Senate in 1990, representing the 24th district until 2001. Rounds ran for governor of South Dakota in 2002, and after an upset victory in the Republican primary, defeated Democratic nominee Jim Abbott. He was reelected in 2006, but was term limited from running for a third term in 2010.

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.

Early life, education, and business career

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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 the Rural Electrification Administration, and executive director of the South Dakota Petroleum Council.[3] His brother Tim Rounds was a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives, representing District 24, which includes Pierre, from 2003 to 2011 and from 2013 to 2021.[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]

South Dakota Senate

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Elections

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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 2001 because of legislative term limits South Dakota voters had passed in 1992.[8]

Tenure

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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]

Committee assignments

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  • Commerce
  • Education
  • Legislative Procedure
  • Local Government
  • Retirement Laws
  • State Affairs
  • Taxation[10][11][12][13]

Governor of South Dakota

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Governor Mike Rounds (2004)

Elections

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2002

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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 became candidates.

Rounds benefited from the heated competition between Kirby and Barnett, much of which centered on ethical concerns about Kirby's personal business investments and damaged both candidates' reputations,[15] with Barnett's campaign advertisements involving claims "so outlandish that people thought for sure that they were exaggerated or completely fabricated".[16] By staying above the fray, Rounds won the primary by 15 points.[14]

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:[17]

  • Republicans: Rounds and Daugaard, 56.8%
  • Democrats: Abbott and Wilson, 41.9%
  • Independent: Jim Carlson and Ron Bosch, 0.7%
  • Libertarians: Nathan Barton and Eric Risty, 0.6%

2006

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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:[18]

Tenure

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Rounds served as a member of the Governors' Council at the Bipartisan Policy Center.[19] He was the 2008 Chair of the Midwestern Governors Association.[20]

Issues

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Research centers

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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.[21]

Abortion

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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 repealing H.B. 1215 was placed on the ballot for the November 2006 statewide election due to a petition.[22] 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.[23]

EB-5 Visa inquiry

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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.[24][25] 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.[26]

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.[27][28][29] 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.[30][31] Benda committed suicide in October 2013, days before a possible indictment over embezzlement and grand theft charges.[32]

3D-printed weapons

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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.[33]

U.S. Senate

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Election

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2014

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Speculation persisted that in 2014 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.[34]

On November 29, 2012, Rounds launched a campaign[35] for the seat being vacated by Johnson's retirement.[36] He won the June 2014 Republican primary, defeating four other candidates.[37] 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.[38] Independent conservative former state legislator Gordon Howie was also in the race.[39]

In November Rounds was elected with a majority of the vote. The results were:[40]

  • Republican: Rounds, 50.37%
  • Democrat: Weiland, 29.51%
  • Independent: Pressler, 17.09%
  • Independent: Howie, 3.03%

2020

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In the 2020 election, Scyller Borglum, a first-term member of the South Dakota House of Representatives, challenged Rounds in the Republican primary. Borglum positioned herself as an ally of Donald Trump.[41] Rounds defeated Borglum, 75% to 25%.[42] He won the general election against Democratic nominee Dan Ahlers with nearly 66% of the vote.[43][44]

Tenure

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Education

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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.[45]

Environment

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In 2017, Rounds was one of 22 senators to sign a letter[46] to President Donald Trump urging him to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement. According to OpenSecrets, Rounds has received over $200,000 from oil, gas and coal interests since 2012.[47] 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."[48]

Criminal justice

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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.[49]

Israel Anti-Boycott Act

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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.[50][51]

Health care

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Rounds opposes the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), and has voted to repeal it.[52] In 2019, he said he supported lawsuits seeking to overturn it.[53]

2020 presidential election

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On January 9, 2022, Rounds said that the 2020 presidential election was not stolen from Donald Trump: "[We] looked at over 60 different accusations made in multiple states. While there were some irregularities, there were none of the irregularities which would have risen to the point where they would have changed the vote outcome in a single state". Rounds said the election was fair, and added that Republicans should stop making arguments to the contrary: "If we simply look back and tell our people, 'Don't vote because there's cheating going on,' then we're going to put ourselves in a huge disadvantage. So, moving forward, let's focus on what it takes to win those elections. We can do that."[54] Trump responded by calling Rounds a "jerk", "crazy" and "stupid" and accused him of being "woke" for acknowledging the election results.[55]

2021 United States Capitol attack

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On May 28, 2021, Rounds abstained from voting on the creation of the January 6 commission.[56]

2024 presidential election

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Rounds endorsed Senator Tim Scott for the Republican nomination in the 2024 United States presidential election. In an interview on Meet the Press, Rounds refused to commit to supporting the eventual Republican nominee if Scott was not nominated. Scott suspended his campaign on November 12, 2023.[57][58]

Committee assignments

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Personal life

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While attending South Dakota State University, Rounds met Jean Vedvei, formerly of Lake Preston, South Dakota. They married in 1978 and had four children. On November 2, 2021, Jean Rounds died at age 65, two years after she was diagnosed with cancer.[59]

Rounds is the older brother of Tim Rounds, a former member of the South Dakota House of Representatives.[60]

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.

Honors

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In May 2011, Rounds's alma mater, South Dakota State University, gave him an honorary doctorate for public service.[61]

Electoral history

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South Dakota State Senate

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South Dakota State Senate District 24 election, 1990[62][63]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican CheckedMike Rounds 2,188 62.69
Republican Kent Bowers 1,302 37.31
Total votes 3,490 100.00
General election
Republican CheckedMike Rounds 4,790 52.54
Democratic Jacquie Kelly (incumbent) 4,326 47.46
Total votes 9,116 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic
South Dakota State Senate District 24 election, 1992[64]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican CheckedMike Rounds (incumbent) 6,591 59.93
Democratic Rick Riggle 4,406 40.07
Total votes 10,997 100.00
Republican hold
South Dakota State Senate District 24 election, 1994[65]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican CheckedMike Rounds (incumbent) 8,270 77.35
independent (politician) Mary Morin 2,421 22.65
Total votes 10,691 100.00
Republican hold
South Dakota State Senate District 24 election, 1996[66]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican CheckedMike Rounds (incumbent) 7,070 66.01
Democratic Kenneth Meyer 3,641 33.99
Total votes 9,711 100.00
Republican hold
South Dakota State Senate District 24 election, 1998[67]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican CheckedMike Rounds (incumbent) 7,374 74.93
Democratic Robert Hockett 2,467 25.07
Total votes 9,841 100.00
Republican hold

South Dakota Governor

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2002 South Dakota gubernatorial election[68][69]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican CheckedMike Rounds 49,331 44.34
Republican Mark Barnett 32,868 29.54
Republican Steve T. Kirby 29,065 26.12
Total votes 111,264 100.00
General election
Republican CheckedMike Rounds 189,920 56.77
Democratic Jim Abbott 140,263 41.92
independent (politician) James Carlson 2,393 0.72
Libertarian Nathan Barton 1,983 0.59
Total votes 334,559 100.00
Republican hold
2006 South Dakota gubernatorial election[70]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican CheckedMike 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
Total votes 335,508 100.00
Republican hold

U.S. Senator

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2014 United States Senate election in South Dakota[71]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican CheckedMike 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
Total votes 74,498 100.00
General election
Republican CheckedMike Rounds 140,741 50.37
Democratic Rick Weiland 82,456 29.51
independent (politician) Larry Pressler 47,741 17.09
independent (politician) Gordon Howie 8,474 3.03
Total votes 279,412 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic
2020 United States Senate election in South Dakota[72][73]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican CheckedMike Rounds (incumbent) 70,365 75.23
Republican Scyller Borglum 23,164 24.77
Total votes 93,529 100.00
General election
Republican CheckedMike Rounds (incumbent) 276,232 65.74
Democratic Dan Ahlers 143,987 34.26
Total votes 420,219 100.00
Republican hold

References

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  1. ^ a b "Governor Mike Round's ancestry". History.sd.gov. Archived from the original on October 1, 2014. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Mike Rounds | United States senator". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  3. ^ Feb 26, Posted (2018). "Don Rounds, 90, of Pierre". Huron Plainsman. Retrieved July 30, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "SDLRC - Representative Tim Rounds - 2020". sdlegislature.gov. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  5. ^ Ellis, Jonathan. "Tim Rounds, brother to Sen. Mike Rounds, sues over injury benefits". Argus Leader. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  6. ^ Harrison, J.D. (January 6, 2015). "Meet the small business owners who were just sworn in to Congress". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  7. ^ Lawrence, Tom (February 6, 2020). "Mike Rounds announced his bid for re-election to the U.S. Senate. So far he's undefeated -- and likely to remain so". sdstandardnow.com. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  8. ^ "About the State of South Dakota: South Dakota Secretary of State". sdsos.gov. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  9. ^ "Project Vote Smart – The Voter's Self Defense System". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  10. ^ "South Dakota Legislature". sdlegislature.gov. Archived from the original on May 15, 2009.
  11. ^ "South Dakota Legislature". sdlegislature.gov. Archived from the original on June 1, 2013.
  12. ^ "South Dakota Legislature". sdlegislature.gov. Archived from the original on May 15, 2009.
  13. ^ "South Dakota Legislature". sdlegislature.gov. Archived from the original on June 1, 2013.
  14. ^ a b Yaccino, Steven (July 18, 2014). "In Close-Knit South Dakota, Mudslinging Carries Political Risk". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
  15. ^ "Collagenesis". Youtube. November 5, 2006. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  16. ^ "SD-Sen: 2002 ad against Flesh Eating Zombie". Daily Kos. February 28, 2008. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  17. ^ "CNN.com Election 2002 - State Races: South Dakota". www.cnn.com. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  18. ^ "CNN.com - Elections 2006". www.cnn.com. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  19. ^ "Governors' Council | Bipartisan Policy Center". bipartisanpolicy.org. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012.
  20. ^ "Midwestern governors pick new leaders". www.dispatch.com. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  21. ^ Alan Van Ormer (August 1, 2009). "South Dakota research centers aid economic development". Prairie Business Magazine. Archived from the original on January 11, 2014.
  22. ^ "South Dakota voters reject abortion ban". Argus Leader. November 7, 2006.
  23. ^ "South Dakota Nixes Abortion Ban; Michigan Voters OK Anti-Affirmative Action Initiative". FOX News.com. Associated Press. November 8, 2006.
  24. ^ "Questions Go Beyond Beef". Argus Leader. November 3, 2013. Archived from the original on June 20, 2014. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
  25. ^ "Six months of Argus Leader EB-5 coverage". Argus Leader. April 22, 2014. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
  26. ^ "Chinese investors in failed S.D. beef plant may be biggest losers, receiving no visa or refund". Rapid City Journal. April 6, 2014. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
  27. ^ "What you need to know about EB-5 in South Dakota". Argus Leader. October 8, 2014. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  28. ^ "This immigration scandal drove a state official to suicide — and could give Dems the Senate". Vox. Vox Media. October 10, 2014. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  29. ^ "State EB-5 director signed deal with own company". Argus Leader. September 23, 2014. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  30. ^ "Rounds knew of Benda conflict in final days of term". Argus Leader. October 22, 2014. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  31. ^ "$550,000 from Northern Beef grant was used to pay Benda for two years". Capital Journal. December 13, 2013. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  32. ^ "AG: Benda Suicide Came Days Prior To Possible Indictment". Keloland. July 29, 2014. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  33. ^ Shear, Michael D.; Hsu, Tiffany; Johnson, Kirk (July 31, 2018). "Judge Blocks Attempt to Post Blueprints for 3-D Guns". The New York Times. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
  34. ^ Lawrence, Tom (February 6, 2020). "Mike Rounds announced his bid for re-election to the U.S. Senate. So far he's undefeated -- and likely to remain so". sdstandardnow.com. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  35. ^ Weiner, Rachel. "Mike Rounds is running for Senate". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  36. ^ Weiner, Rachel. "South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson announces retirement". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  37. ^ "Mike Rounds, Rick Weiland win South Dakota nods". Politico. June 4, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  38. ^ Blake, Aaron (October 8, 2014). "There's something very interesting happening in South Dakota". Washington Post. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  39. ^ Jaffe, Alexandra (April 3, 2014). "Second independent running for SD Senate". The Hill. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  40. ^ "2014 Statewide Election Results". South Dakota Secretary of State. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  41. ^ Kaczke, Lisa. "Scyller Borglum, Republican legislator from Rapid City, announces U.S. Senate candidacy". Argus Leader. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  42. ^ Kaczke, Lisa. "2020 South Dakota primary election: U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds wins Republican primary". Argus Leader. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  43. ^ "2020 Statewide Election Results". South Dakota Secretary of State. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  44. ^ Welte, Dean (November 4, 2020). "Republican Mike Rounds wins reelection to U.S. Senate from South Dakota". KTIV. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  45. ^ Varnier, Julia (February 13, 2019). "Warner, Thune introduce legislation to address student debt crisis". wtkr.com.
  46. ^ Inhofe, James. "Senator". Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  47. ^ McCarthy, Tom; Gambino, Lauren (June 1, 2017). "The Republicans who urged Trump to pull out of Paris deal are big oil darlings". The Guardian. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  48. ^ Koenig, Kailani (April 8, 2018). "GOP Sen. Rounds: Pruitt criticism amounts to 'nitpick' of 'little things'". NBC News. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  49. ^ LeVine, Marianne (December 18, 2018). "Senate approves Trump-backed criminal justice overhaul". Politico. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  50. ^ "Cosponsors – S.720 – 115th Congress (2017–2018): Israel Anti-Boycott Act". www.congress.gov. March 23, 2017.
  51. ^ Levitz, Eric (July 19, 2017). "43 Senators Want to Make It a Federal Crime to Boycott Israeli Settlements". Intelligencer.
  52. ^ Parlapiano, Alicia; Andrews, Wilson; Lee, Jasmine C.; Shorey, Rachel (July 25, 2017). "How Each Senator Voted on Obamacare Repeal Proposals". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  53. ^ Everett, Burgess (July 14, 2019). "Republicans ready to dive off a cliff on Obamacare". POLITICO. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  54. ^ Cohen, David (January 9, 2022). "GOP senator says Trump's election allegations are unfounded". Politico.com.
  55. ^ Sinéad Baker (January 11, 2022). "GOP Sen. Mike Rounds doubles down on saying the 2020 election was fair after Trump calls him a jerk". Business Insider. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  56. ^ Stevenson, Peter W.; Blanco, Adrian; Santamariña, Daniela (May 28, 2021). "Which senators supported a Jan. 6 Capitol riot commission". Washington Post. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  57. ^ Rounds, Thune endorse Tim Scott’s presidential bid
  58. ^ Vakil, Caroline (November 13, 2023). "Tim Scott suspends 2024 GOP primary bid". The Hill. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  59. ^ STEPHEN GROVES (November 2, 2021). "Jean Rounds, Wife Of Sen. Mike Rounds, Dies From Cancer". Yankton Press & Dakotan. Associated Press. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  60. ^ Ellis, Jonathan. "Tim Rounds, brother to Sen. Mike Rounds, sues over injury benefits". Argus Leader. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  61. ^ "Honorary Degrees Given By SDSU Since 1923" (PDF). Sdstate.edu. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  62. ^ "1990 Primary Election Returns for Legislature" (PDF). South Dakota Secretary of State. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  63. ^ "1990 General Election Legislative and Judicial". South Dakota Secretary of State. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  64. ^ "1992 General Election for Legislature". South Dakota Secretary of State. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  65. ^ "1994 General Election Returns for Legislature". South Dakota Secretary of State. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  66. ^ "1996 South Dakota General Election Returns for Legislative Races". South Dakota Secretary of State. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  67. ^ "1998 General Election Official Canvass Legislative Candidates". South Dakota Secretary of State. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  68. ^ "2002 Statewide Primary Official Returns". South Dakota Secretary of State. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  69. ^ "2002 Governor Official Returns". South Dakota Secretary of State. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  70. ^ "General Election Official Returns for Governor & Lt. Governor". South Dakota Secretary of State. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  71. ^ "2014 South Dakota Official Election Returns and Registration Figures" (PDF). South Dakota Secretary of State. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  72. ^ "2020 Primary Election Official Results State Canvass" (PDF). South Dakota Secretary of State. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  73. ^ "2020 General Election Official State Canvass Results" (PDF). South Dakota Secretary of State. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
[edit]
Party political offices
Preceded by
Bill Janklow
Republican nominee for Governor of South Dakota
2002, 2006
Succeeded by
Dennis Daugaard
Preceded by Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from South Dakota
(Class 2)

2014, 2020
Most recent
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of South Dakota
2003–2011
Succeeded by
U.S. Senate
Preceded by U.S. Senator (Class 2) from South Dakota
2015–present
Served alongside: John Thune
Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas United States Senator from West Virginia Order of precedence of the United States
as United States Senator from South Dakota

since January 3, 2015
Succeeded byas United States Senator from Montana
Preceded by United States senators by seniority
61st
Succeeded by