Mike Rounds

Mike Rounds
Official portrait, 2015
Mike Rounds
Born	Marion Michael Rounds 24 10, 1954
Birthplace	Huron, South Dakota, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, businessman
Known for	31st Governor of South Dakota; U.S. Senator from South Dakota
Education	South Dakota State University (BS)
Children	4
Website	[Official Senate website Official site]

Marion Michael Rounds (born October 24, 1954) is an American businessman and politician who has served as the junior United States senator from South Dakota since January 2015. A member of the Republican Party, Rounds previously served as the 31st Governor of South Dakota from 2003 to 2011. Before his tenure as governor, he represented the 24th district in the South Dakota Senate from 1991 to 2001. Born in Huron, South Dakota, and raised in the state capital of Pierre, Rounds built a career in insurance and real estate before entering politics. His path to the governorship was marked by an upset victory in the 2002 Republican primary, and he went on to win two terms as governor before transitioning to the U.S. Senate in 2014, succeeding retiring Democratic senator Tim Johnson. Rounds was reelected to the Senate in 2020 and formally announced his campaign for a third term in January 2026. In the Senate, he has served on committees addressing armed services, banking, and veterans' affairs, and has been involved in legislative debates on homeland security funding, financial regulation, and veterans' health care.

Early Life

Marion Michael Rounds was born on October 24, 1954, in Huron, South Dakota. He was raised in Pierre, the state capital, where he grew up in a large family. His brother, Tim Rounds, later became involved in South Dakota politics as well. The Rounds family had deep roots in South Dakota, with a lineage documented in the state's historical archives.

Growing up in Pierre, Rounds was immersed in the political culture of a small state capital. Pierre, as the seat of state government, exposed him from an early age to the workings of government and public policy. The experience of being raised in a tight-knit community in the Great Plains shaped his political outlook and his later focus on issues affecting rural America and South Dakota's agricultural economy.

Education

Rounds attended South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. South Dakota State University later recognized Rounds with an honorary degree, listing him among notable recipients of the institution's honorary degree program.

Career

Business Career

Before entering politics, Rounds established himself as a businessman in South Dakota's insurance and real estate industries. He operated an insurance and real estate firm based in Pierre, building a career in the private sector that provided him with a foundation in business management and economic issues that he would later draw upon in public office.

South Dakota State Senate (1991–2001)

Rounds entered electoral politics in 1990 when he ran for the South Dakota Senate, representing the 24th district. He won the election and succeeded Jacquie Kelley in the seat. Rounds served in the state senate for a decade, from January 3, 1991, to January 3, 2001. During his tenure in the legislature, he eventually rose to the position of Senate majority leader, gaining experience in legislative leadership and coalition-building within the Republican caucus.

His decade of service in the state senate allowed Rounds to develop expertise in state budget issues, education policy, and economic development—issues that would become central to his gubernatorial campaigns. Upon his departure from the state senate, he was succeeded by Patricia de Hueck in the 24th district seat.

Governor of South Dakota (2003–2011)

2002 Election

In 2002, Rounds entered the Republican primary for governor of South Dakota. His campaign was considered an underdog effort, but he scored an upset victory in the primary, defeating better-known Republican candidates to secure the nomination. Rounds then won the general election, succeeding Governor Bill Janklow and becoming the 31st governor of South Dakota. He took office on January 7, 2003, with Dennis Daugaard serving as his lieutenant governor.

First Term (2003–2007)

As governor, Rounds focused on economic development, education, and health care issues in South Dakota. His administration pursued efforts to attract business investment to the state and addressed issues related to South Dakota's rural economy. Rounds worked on initiatives related to healthy families and public health programs during his tenure.

2006 Reelection

Rounds ran for reelection in 2006 and won a second term as governor, reflecting broad support for his administration among South Dakota voters.

Second Term (2007–2011)

During his second term, Rounds continued to pursue economic development strategies for South Dakota. One significant initiative during this period involved the state's participation in the EB-5 immigrant investor program, which later became a source of significant controversy.

EB-5 Controversy

The most prominent controversy associated with Rounds's governorship involved South Dakota's EB-5 visa program, which was administered through a state-affiliated entity. The EB-5 program is a federal initiative that allows foreign investors to obtain visas by investing in projects that create American jobs. In South Dakota, the program was used to attract investment, notably from Chinese investors, for projects including a beef processing plant called Northern Beef Packers in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

The beef plant project ultimately failed, and investigations revealed significant financial irregularities in how the EB-5 program was managed in the state. Richard Benda, a former state official who had served as secretary of the South Dakota Department of Tourism and State Development under Rounds, was found to have received payments from a Northern Beef Packers grant. Benda died by suicide in October 2013, days before a possible indictment related to his role in the program.

Reporting by the Argus Leader and other South Dakota media outlets examined the extent of Rounds's knowledge of the EB-5 program's management and Benda's activities. The Argus Leader reported that Rounds knew about a job arrangement for Benda that was connected to the EB-5 program. The newspaper published extensive reporting on the EB-5 scandal, including a detailed primer on the controversy and its implications for Rounds's 2014 Senate campaign.

Chinese investors who had put money into the failed beef plant through the EB-5 program faced potential losses, raising questions about the oversight of the program during Rounds's administration. Additional reporting raised questions about the broader management of the beef plant project and the flow of EB-5 funds.

Despite the controversy, Rounds maintained that he had acted properly during his tenure as governor and that the program's problems were the result of individual misconduct rather than systemic failures in his administration. The EB-5 issue became a significant topic in his 2014 Senate campaign but did not prevent his election.

Post-Governorship

Rounds left office on January 8, 2011, and was succeeded by his lieutenant governor, Dennis Daugaard. After leaving the governorship, Rounds joined the Bipartisan Policy Center's Governors' Council, which brought together former governors from both parties to work on policy issues. He also returned to the private sector, working in insurance and business consulting, while exploring a potential run for the U.S. Senate.

United States Senate (2015–present)

2014 Election

In 2014, Rounds ran for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democratic senator Tim Johnson. Despite the EB-5 controversy generating significant media attention during the campaign, Rounds won the general election in a state that leaned heavily Republican at the federal level. He took office on January 3, 2015.

First Senate Term (2015–2021)

Upon entering the Senate, Rounds was assigned to several committees, where he focused on issues related to armed services, banking, and environmental policy. He served alongside South Dakota's senior senator, John Thune, in the Republican caucus. In the Senate, Rounds developed a focus on national defense, financial services regulation, and issues affecting South Dakota's agricultural and rural communities.

2020 Reelection

Rounds won reelection to the Senate in 2020, securing a second six-year term representing South Dakota.

Second Senate Term (2021–present)

During his second term, Rounds has been involved in a range of legislative and oversight activities. He has served on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, where he has participated in efforts related to financial regulation. In November 2025, Rounds joined Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott and other colleagues in sending a letter to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell supporting the finalization of a revised Basel III Endgame rulemaking, which addresses bank capital requirements.

Rounds has also been engaged in debates surrounding Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding. In February 2026, as congressional negotiations over DHS funding and immigration reform continued, Rounds weighed in publicly on the issue, discussing the implications of a potential DHS shutdown. He also addressed issues related to the Hot Springs VA Medical Center and other veterans' health care matters in South Dakota during a special interview with KOTA Territory News in February 2026.

Rounds's relationship with former President Donald Trump has been a subject of political commentary. Trump had previously criticized Rounds, reportedly calling him a "jerk" and vowing never to support him. However, by July 2025, Trump had reversed course and endorsed Rounds, praising the senator. Reporting by the South Dakota Searchlight characterized this endorsement as coming "at a high cost for public media and rural America," connecting it to policy positions Rounds had taken that aligned with the Trump administration's priorities.

2026 Reelection Campaign

In January 2026, Rounds formally announced his campaign for reelection to a third six-year Senate term. The Argus Leader reported that Rounds launched his reelection bid with the backing of Trump's endorsement. The 2026 South Dakota Senate race has attracted attention in part due to the political dynamics surrounding Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, South Dakota's former governor, who has faced scrutiny in her federal role. The Atlantic reported on the political landscape in Noem's home state as it relates to the 2026 Senate contest.

Personal Life

Rounds has been a lifelong resident of South Dakota. He and his wife, Jean, have four children. His brother, Tim Rounds, has also been involved in South Dakota public life.

Rounds has maintained his connections to Pierre, South Dakota, where he was raised and where he built his business career before entering politics. His background in the insurance and real estate industries has informed his approach to economic and financial policy issues throughout his political career.

Recognition

Rounds received an honorary degree from South Dakota State University, his alma mater, in recognition of his public service and contributions to the state.

His participation in the Bipartisan Policy Center's Governors' Council after leaving the governorship reflected recognition of his experience as a two-term governor and his willingness to engage in bipartisan policy discussions.

Legacy

Mike Rounds's political career spans more than three decades of public service in South Dakota, from the state senate to the governor's mansion to the U.S. Senate. As governor, he led South Dakota through a period of economic development efforts, though his legacy in that role has been complicated by the EB-5 visa program controversy and the financial fallout from the Northern Beef Packers project. His administration's handling of the EB-5 program generated extensive media coverage and investigative reporting, and the issue followed him into his first Senate campaign.

In the U.S. Senate, Rounds has positioned himself as a member focused on national defense, financial regulation, and issues affecting rural and agricultural states. His committee work on banking and armed services has placed him in discussions on significant national policy questions, including bank capital requirements and military spending. His focus on veterans' health care, particularly issues affecting the Hot Springs VA Medical Center, has reflected ongoing attention to constituent services in South Dakota.

Rounds's career also illustrates the political dynamics of a reliably Republican state in the Great Plains. His ability to win statewide office repeatedly—including his upset primary victory in 2002 and his continued Senate tenure—demonstrates his standing within South Dakota's Republican electorate. His evolving relationship with Donald Trump, from public criticism to endorsement, mirrors broader trends within the Republican Party during the Trump era.

As of 2026, Rounds continues to serve in the Senate and is seeking a third term, positioning himself as an experienced legislator with deep ties to South Dakota's political and business communities.