Larry Rhoden

Why they say you should vote for them

The candidate's own case to voters, summarized from their campaign and public statements.

• Campaigns on the slogan "Keep South Dakota Strong, Safe, and Free."[1]
• Says property tax laws he signed in 2026 are the largest property tax cut in state history.[2],[4]
• Describes himself as "a known commodity" and says he has governed with the civility and openness he promised.[6]
• Says his top priorities include expanding defense manufacturing through the South Dakota Defense Institute, carrying out property tax cuts and supporting rural health care.[7]
• Calls his administration's prison funding plan one of his biggest accomplishments as governor.[6],[2]

Background

• Governor of South Dakota (34th), State of South Dakota · 2025–present[3],[10]
• Lieutenant Governor, State of South Dakota · 2019–2025[3],[10]
• Interim Secretary of Agriculture, South Dakota Department of Agriculture · 2020[3]
• State Representative, including House Majority Leader, South Dakota House of Representatives · 2001–2009[3],[10]
• State Senator, South Dakota Senate · 2009–2015[10]
• State legislator, one additional term, South Dakota Legislature · 2017–2019[10]
• Rancher (cow-calf operation) and welding business owner, Union Center area · Current[10],[3]
• Member, six years, South Dakota National Guard · After high school[3]

Education

• High school diploma (1977), Sunshine Bible Academy[10]

Where they stand

• Taxes
  Signed 2026 laws dedicating more state sales tax revenue to property tax reduction and letting counties add a 0.5% sales tax for homeowner property tax relief; says homeowners' property taxes fall about 34–36% on average.[4],[5]
• Health Care
  Defends the Legislature's decision to put on the ballot a constitutional amendment conditioning Medicaid expansion on the federal government keeping its 90% share of the cost, questioning how long that share would last; says he voted against expansion as a legislator over the same concern.[9]
• Abortion
  Asked lawmakers in his 2026 State of the State address to pass legislation to stop abortion pills from coming into South Dakota; his campaign lists stopping abortion pills from entering the state among his accomplishments.[8],[2]
• Immigration
  Lists banning sanctuary cities and signing agreements for the Highway Patrol and Department of Corrections to cooperate with ICE among his accomplishments.[2]
• Guns
  His campaign says he made South Dakota the first state to eliminate suppressor regulations.[2]
• Economy & Jobs
  Signed a 2026 law requiring large data centers to cover the cost of their power demands and show local water providers their water needs, and barring the state from preempting local data center rules.[4],[6]
• Agriculture
  Opposes the president's plan to increase foreign beef imports, saying it is not the way to lower grocery prices.[9],[11]
• Public Safety
  Points to a new prison construction plan, a women's correctional facility in Pierre and "Operation: Prairie Thunder," a crime and drug enforcement effort.[2],[6],[7]

Voting record

Larry Rhoden has not held an office with a recorded voting record. See Background and Where they stand.

In their words