Mike Rounds
Marion Michael "Mike" Rounds (born
October 24,
1954) is an
American politician. Rounds has served as
Governor of
South Dakota since
January 7,
2003, having been
elected on
November 5,
2002.
Rounds, the oldest of eleven children, was born in
Huron, South Dakota and has lived in
Pierre, the
state capital, since he was three. Rounds was named for an uncle, Marion Rounds, who was killed in the Pacific theatre during the
Second World War; however, he has from a young age been known as "Mike."
Several members of the Rounds family have been involved in state government. His father,
Don Rounds, 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. Rounds' brother,
Tim Rounds, is a member of the
South Dakota State Legislature representing District 24, which includes
Pierre.
Rounds attended
South Dakota State University in
Brookings, where he earned his
B.S. in
political science. While at
SDSU, Rounds met his wife,
Jean, formerly of
Lake Preston, South Dakota. They were married in
1978 and have four children.
Rounds is a partner in Fischer Rounds & Associates, an
insurance and
real estate firm with offices in
Pierre,
Rapid City,
Mitchell, and
Brandon. He placed his ownership interest into a
blind trust upon being elected governor. Rounds is a member of Ss. 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.
State Senator
Rounds represented District 24, which includes
Pierre and the surrounding area in the
South Dakota State Legislature from
1991 to
2001, serving from
1995 as
majority leader. In
1990, Rounds won 52.5% of the vote in a successful challenge of incumbent state senator Jacqueline Kelley, a
Pierre Democrat. He was reelected in
1992 with 59.9%, in
1994 with 77.3%, in
1996 with 66.0%, and in
1998 with 74.9%. Rounds was barred from seeking reelection in
2000 by
legislative term limits, which South Dakota voters had passed in
1994.
In
1995, Rounds was selected by his peers to be
Senate Majority Leader. During his time as majority leader, Rounds worked closely with
Governor Bill Janklow and was respected for his effective leadership of the Senate. Rounds had an important role in passing several of
Janklow's initiatives, including
property tax reduction, reform of the school aid funding formula, the "wiring" of South Dakota schools, and the sale of the state cement plant.
2002 Gubernatorial Election
Rounds' victory in the 2002 Republican Gubernatorial Primary was one of South Dakota's greatest political upsets. Until late in 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 Lt. Governor
Steve Kirby quickly became candidates. Rounds declared his candidacy late, in December
2001, and was outraised and outspend ten-to-one by each of his opponents. However, the contest between Kirby and Barnett soon became very negative and "dirty." As the two front-runners concentrated on each other, Rounds insisted on running a positive campaign and was not attacked by his opponents. Rounds' positive image and extensive knowledge of state government won him many supporters who were alienated by the front-runners. On the day of the primary election, Rounds won a stunning victory, winning 44.3% to Barnett's 29.5% and Kirby's 26.1%.
After winning the
Republican nomination, Rounds selected state senator
Dennis Daugaard of
Dell Rapids, South Dakota to be his running mate. Their
Democratic opponents were
University of South Dakota President
Jim Abbott of
Vermillion, South Dakota and his running mate, former state representative
Mike Wilson of
Rapid City, South Dakota. During the campaign, Abbott, who had been considered the
Democratic Party's strongest nominee in years, was hampered by his strategic inability to attack Rounds; any effort to "go negative" would have only reinforced Rounds' positive campaign.
Rounds was elected governor on
November 5,
2002. The results were as follows:
*
Republicans: Mike Rounds and
Dennis Daugaard â€" 56.8%
*
Democrats:
Jim Abbott and
Mike Wilson â€" 41.9%
*Independent: Jim Carlson and Ron Bosch â€" 0.7%
*
Libertarians: Nathan Barton and Eric Risty â€" 0.6%
Rounds' election signaled several "firsts" for
South Dakota. Rounds is the first resident of
Pierre, the
capital city, to be elected
Governor. He is also the first alumnus of
South Dakota State University, the state's largest university, to serve as governor, as well as the first
baby boomer.
Abortion ban
On
February 22,
2006, the state legislature of South Dakota passed an act banning
abortions except in cases where the mother's life is at risk. Rounds signed the act on
March 6, with the ban due to take effect from
July 1,
2006. The bill did not take effect on that date, however.
According to a
Survey USA poll released in January 2006, Rounds had an approval rating of 73% and a "net" approval rating of +52%, which placed him among the top five governors in the United States in terms of approval rating. Following the abortion ban, again according to a SurveyUSA poll, Rounds' approval rating dropped 14% to 58% [
1]. A poll commissioned by a group opposing the ban indicates that 57% of SD voters say they would vote to overturn the ban if the issue is on the November ballot [
2]. On March 24, organizers announced an effort to
refer the abortion ban. In order to get the ban placed on the November ballot, 16,728 signatures were required.[
3]
On the
June 19 deadline, South Dakota Secretary of State Chris Nelson certified the referendum with the signatures of 38,416 opponents of the law, placing the issue on the November 7, 2006 ballot. [
4]
2006 Election
Rounds has announced that he will seek a second term in
2006, and has again named
Daugaard as his running mate. Rounds is currently the only
Republican seeking the office; however, there are two
Democrats seeking the nomination of their party:
Jack Billion, a retired surgeon and former
state legislator from
Sioux Falls, and
Dennis Wiese, the former president of the
Farmers Union.
In
2004, rumors circulated that
television personality and former South Dakotan
Pat O'Brien was considering a return to his home state to challenge Rounds; however, revelations of personal problems ended speculation about an O'Brien candidacy in
2006. Former state senator
Ron Volesky of
Huron, a
Democrat, had announced his intention to oppose Rounds, but abandoned his bid on
February 22,
2006, citing an inability to raise funds.
Beyond 2006
Speculation persists about the possibility that, in
2008, Rounds may seek the
United States Senate seat held currently by
Tim Johnson, a
Democrat who has held the seat since
1997. Although Rounds has not definitively ruled out a 2008 bid for U.S. Senate, he has made several statements indicating that he is inclined against making the race. The prospects for
2008 are further muddled because Johnson has not announced his intention to seek a third term; should he decline to run again, the likely
Democratic nominee would be current
Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth.
After Rounds attracted national attention by signing into law South Dakota's ban on abortion, there was speculation that Rounds could mount a longshot bid for the 2008
Republican nomination for
President of the United States. However, Rounds has never publicly expressed any interest in pursuing the presidency. (
see Potential 2008 Republican presidential candidates.)
*
South Dakota Governor's Office â€" Official homepage of Governor Mike Rounds
*
Rounds for Governor â€" Official homepage of Rounds for Governor Campaign
*
2010 Initiative â€" Official homepage of Governor Rounds' economic development plan for South Dakota
*
Project Vote Smart â€" profile of Mike Rounds
*
Mike Rounds quotes â€" from brainyquote.com
*
South Dakota Republican Party*
South Dakota Secretary of State Elections Information â€" for South Dakota election results since 1972
*
South Dakota Politics â€" reporting on South Dakota Politics by the Argus Leader
*
National Governors Association*
Republican Governors Association*
Western Governors Association*
Midwestern Governors Association*
Latest news involving Mike Rounds â€" courtesy of Google News
*
S.D. Abortion Bill Takes Aim at 'Roe'*
South Dakota governor signs abortion ban*
US state tightens abortion laws
