Governor Rhoden Announces Northrop Grumman As Anchor Tenant in Rapid City Defense Cluster

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden advanced South Dakota’s growing national security industry by announcing support for a new defense cluster with Northrop Grumman as the anchor tenant. You can find a photo from the announcement here.

“National security is South Dakota’s next big industry, and today we’re putting action behind that commitment,” said Governor Rhoden. “When a world-class company like Northrop Grumman chooses to invest in our state, it sends a strong signal to the national security industry about their belief in the opportunities available in South Dakota. Our investment will help us build the infrastructure needed to support that growing national security industry. This is a key step to deliver on our mission to keep our state and nation strong, safe, and free.”

Governor Rhoden announced an investment of $1 million to support a new facility in the Rapid City Innovation District, which will establish a defense cluster in Rapid City. The first anchor tenant at the new facility will be Northrop Grumman, which is the manufacturer of the B-21 Raider. Additional companies will be added to the defense cluster in the future. This is part of Elevate Rapid City’s investment of $18 million in the Rapid City Innovation District to create space for new companies and jobs.

Northrop Grumman manufactures the B-21 Raider, which is the most high-tech bomber aircraft in the world. Northrop Grumman is a leader in the space, aeronautics, defense, and cybersecurity industries, and their mission is to “pioneer technologies at the edge of every frontier to connect, advance, and protect the U.S. and its allies.” Ellsworth Air Force Base in Box Elder will be the first home of the B-21 Raider, and that is estimated to take place next year.

U.S. Senator Mike Rounds, Elevate Rapid City, the South Dakota Ellsworth Development Authority, and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development all played instrumental roles in making this expansion possible.

“Northrop Grumman’s presence in the Innovation District is an important step in what we’re building in Rapid City,” said Jack Valentine, president and CEO of Elevate Rapid City. “This investment gives us the infrastructure to bring more defense companies, talent, and opportunities to the region and build on the momentum surrounding Ellsworth.”

This investment complements other national security initiatives Governor Rhoden has created, including the South Dakota Defense Institute and the Governor’s Resilience and Infrastructure Task Force. Together, these efforts are focused on strengthening the state’s defense ecosystem, supporting critical infrastructure, and creating opportunities for greater collaboration between industry, government, and education.

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The Dakota Scout story this afternoon is interesting in that it explores how Heather Baxter has come looking for the Governor’s endorsement after she endorsed someone else in that race. Twice:

“We have a Republican primary and a convention — I support the Republican ticket,” Gov. Larry Rhoden said this week, declining to offer a full-throated endorsement of GOP secretary of state candidate Heather Baxter.

and..

That Baxter did not back Rhoden at any time in the lead-up to the early June primary election and the subsequent runoff in late July could also be keeping Rhoden’s support of her candidacy tepid. She publicly endorsed House Speaker Jon Hansen before shifting her support to Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden, whom Rhoden beat in the runoff.

and..

“The governor mentioned the primary is over; we had our disagreements and the past is over, and I took him at his word about that, so I believe the past endorsement I gave Hansen and Doeden is a nonissue for him and I,” she said.

Read that story here.

I’m sure the Governor is going to get right on that one.

Fundraiser for Governor Larry Rhoden coming up TOMORROW in Rapid City:

If you’re in the area, make sure you check it out!

Now there has been a day for things to settle from Secretary of State Monae Johnson’s endorsement of Terrence Davis for Secretary of State, I thought it would be interesting to look at the fallout from her monumental decision to cross party lines to endorse a Democrat for the office.

Unsuccessful GOP Gubernatorial primary candidate Toby Doeden was one of the few who decided to go off about it, via social media. Except it was a weird post where he compared Johnson’s rejection of Heather Baxter, and said it was just like Jon Hansen refusing to campaign for him:

Because, ultimately, it’s all about Toby, isn’t it?  The object of Toby’s ire, Jon Hansen also sprang to Baxter’s defense via facebook.

About an hour ago, fully one day later, the South Dakota Republican Party finally got around to posting a statement on facebook from the State Republican Party Executive Board.

I don’t think they sent it out to any media, they just posted it:

It basically says well, that’s who the delegates picked “wholeheartedly.” Wholeheartedly at 59% of the Republicans who went to convention. Which isn’t really representative of the Republican party statewide, just of the people who were in the room at that given moment.

For the Republican candidate herself, Baxter’s immediate response was to tell media that Party affiliation was what they needed to look at when making their choice:

In a statement, Baxter told POLITICO her party affiliation was reason enough to side with her in the general election.

“In June, Republican delegates considered the record and nominated me over incumbent Secretary of State Monae Johnson, 59 percent to 41 percent. That was not confusion,” she said. “That was self-government in action. The letter beside a name is not decoration.”

Read that here.

Well, I guess that’s one way to respond.

Promises Made, Promises Kept
By Sen. John Thune

At this time two years ago, with President Biden and Democrats in charge, our country was dealing with an inflation crisis and a historic immigration crisis. Democrats’ reckless spending contributed to the worst inflation in 40 years, and their open-border policies led to record-breaking illegal immigration. These were the hallmarks of President Biden and Democrats’ stint in power, and it’s no surprise that the American people voted for change.

Republicans’ top priorities when we came into office two years ago was addressing these crises. That started with preventing a massive tax hike on hardworking Americans – a tax hike that would have cost a typical South Dakota family $2,500. But because of Republicans’ landmark Working Families Tax Cuts, that tax hike never came. In fact, because of Republicans’ efforts, 97 percent of tax filers saw a tax cut this year, collectively saving $82 billion they otherwise would have had to send to the IRS.

Our efforts to help Americans keep more of their money didn’t stop with this landmark tax relief though. Republicans have also cut burdensome regulations that would have driven up prices for hardworking Americans. That includes repealing the California electric vehicle mandate, which would have forced Americans into costly electric cars. It also includes regulations that would have driven up the cost of appliances. We passed landmark legislation to keep Americans from being priced out of the housing market. And at the beginning of this year, we took action to drive down costs at the pharmacy counter, ensuring patients get the savings from any discounts or rebates in their health care plans.

Border security has also been a top priority for Republicans. President Trump took swift action to get the situation at our southern border under control, and the drop in illegal immigration has been staggering: a 90 percent decrease compared to the crisis of the Biden era. For 16 consecutive months, zero illegal immigrants were released from the border into the interior. These efforts have been aided by the support Republicans provided for border security in the Working Families Tax Cuts, funding that supports finishing the border wall, hiring more border agents, and deploying technology at the border, and the results speak for themselves.

Republicans have tackled the biggest problems from the Biden era. We’ve put more money in Americans’ pockets, worked to bring down costs, and ended the crisis at the southern border. But our work is not done. We have more on our to-do list, and hardworking Americans will continue to be at the top of Republicans’ agenda.

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Homegrown Solutions
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
September 18, 2026

BIG Update

Without water, not much else matters. Western South Dakota needs reliable access to water to support families, businesses, agriculture, and future economic growth. My bill to direct the Department of the Interior to study three proposed projects to deliver water to western South Dakota passed the House Natural Resources Committee this week. These studies are an important step toward meeting the region’s water needs and will give communities the information they need to plan for future growth. A federal feasibility study will provide detailed information about the potential benefits of bringing more water to West River. Earlier this spring, I testified in favor of this legislation before the Natural Resources Committee and I’m glad to see this bill move forward.

BIG Idea

Rising energy costs emphasize the need for homegrown options to fuel our economy. Biofuels give consumers a lower-cost option at the pump while supporting American farmers and strengthening our rural economy. I met with Growth Energy to discuss the importance of biofuels to South Dakota and the need to get year-round E15 across the finish line. The House has already passed year-round E15 with my support, and this week, the Senate Agriculture Committee advanced the Farm Bill with year-round E15 included. We should look to American producers to meet more of our energy needs and make the most of the resources we have right here at home.

Johnson meets with Growth Energy

BIG News

This week, House Republicans made federal fraud enforcement permanent. I voted to codify the Department of Justice’s efforts to investigate and prosecute cases of fraud. Every tax dollar lost to fraud is taken from someone the program was actually meant to help. Common-sense protections and accountability measures ensure federal dollars are not stolen from taxpayers. More than $280 billion in COVID relief funds were potentially stolen, while another $123 billion was wasted or misspent. The House has already passed legislation to prevent fraud before dollars go out the door, and now we are further empowering law enforcement to investigate and prosecute acts of fraud.

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The Real Cost
By: Gov. Larry Rhoden
September 18, 2026

Things are pretty good in South Dakota. Our economy remains one of the strongest in the nation. Our unemployment rate has been lowest in America for several years running. And our GDP growth routinely outpaces the rest of the country. But things aren’t perfect – there’s always ways we can improve. As I travel the state, I hear from South Dakotans who are frustrated by stubbornly high prices in too many aspects of their day-to-day lives, whether that be at the gas pump, the grocery store checkout, or when they receive their medical bill.

When government gets too involved in the economy, it tends to make things a lot more expensive. Businesses waste time, effort, and money trying to comply with regulations. Fortunately, South Dakota doesn’t have that problem in the way other states do. We base our regulations in common sense, we cut red tape, and we have the 2nd fewest overall regulations in the nation.

But continued challenges at the national level do impact South Dakotans, and we are doing what we can to address them.

For instance, gas prices have been far too high. Let me be clear: I recognize the need to keep America safe from the threat of a nuclear Iran. But I also want South Dakotans to be able to afford to fill up their tank. So I’ve been working with the Trump Administration to make ethanol more available, which gives people a more affordable option at the pump. Earlier this year, the Trump Administration granted South Dakota a waiver so that we can provide E-15 year-round. This keeps gas prices down and has the added benefit of giving corn farmers an additional market to sell their crops to!

Healthcare costs also continue to rise year after year. This past year, for the first time in South Dakota history, it cost state taxpayers more to cover Medicaid costs than to pay for K-12 education. Frankly, it should not be that way, but it’s a direct result of the federal government kicking more and more of the cost of Medicaid down to the states. And we’re working with the Trump Administration to address that, as well.

South Dakotans are also frustrated about rising property taxes – in fact, that’s the most consistent affordability concern I hear about. I’m proud to say that we delivered the largest property tax cut in South Dakota history this year, and you’ll see your taxes drop by a healthy margin next year. In counties where the local option property tax cut is implemented, the cut will be an average of 34%, which is meaningful relief. But even in places that don’t opt into Senate Bill 96, the cut will still be around 15% statewide, so every homeowner should see a real impact.

These are the kinds of things that government should focus on. It isn’t our job to tell you how to live your life or to tell business owners how they should do their jobs. It’s our role to create a level playing field, then get out of the way, so that folks can enjoy their God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And that is the approach I will continue to take.

I will continue to find ways to be part of the solution and help lower costs so that we can make life more affordable for the people of South Dakota. That is how we will keep our state strong, safe, and free.

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A Personal Statement from
Monae L. Johnson, South Dakota Secretary of State: 
Why I Am Supporting Terrence Davis
A personal statement on judgment, competence, and the future of the South Dakota Secretary of State’s Office

“This office is too important to entrust to someone simply because of the letter beside that person’s name.”

After considerable reflection, I am personally endorsing Terrence Davis to serve as South Dakota’s next Secretary of State.

I am a Republican. Terrence is a Democrat. I understand that this decision will disappoint some people in my party and anger others. After serving in the Secretary of State’s Office for more than a decade, first as an employee and now as Secretary, I know the difference between campaigning for this office and carrying the responsibility of leading it.

My responsibility is to the people of South Dakota. I cannot remain silent when I believe the integrity, stability, and professionalism of this office is at stake.

My time in this office has taught me that election administration cannot be reduced to a single issue or a single proposal. The Secretary of State must consider the law, the information available, the effect on county officials, the security of statewide systems, the rights of voters, the cost and workload created by a change, and whether the proposal can be implemented within the deadlines the law requires. It also requires a willingness to review new information and change course when the evidence supports doing so.

The next Secretary of State will inherit statewide election and business systems, statutory deadlines, county relationships, technology projects, contracts, employees, public records responsibilities, and the administration of numerous state laws. Those responsibilities will exist on the first day in office regardless of what was said during the campaign, and the person elected will be responsible for making the office work for every South Dakotan who relies on it.

I believe voters should review the three candidates’ records, the legislation and policies they have supported, their professional backgrounds, and what their proposals would require in practice. There are significant differences between the candidates in this contest, and the public record gives South Dakotans the information they need to examine those differences for themselves.

Terrence Davis comes to this contest with a different professional background. He has experience in law enforcement and public service, earned a degree in Criminal Justice, later pursued a master’s degree in public policy, and is currently pursuing doctoral studies in Law and Policy. He has publicly identified transparency, voting rights, and making government systems work for the people who use them as priorities of his candidacy.

Those areas have a direct connection to the work of the Secretary of State’s Office. This office deals with South Dakota law every day and requires the Secretary to understand statutes, administer deadlines, work with attorneys and local officials, oversee statewide systems, respond to public-record requirements, manage employees and contracts, and make decisions affecting voters, candidates, businesses, political committees, and county governments. Election administration is only one part of the job. Business Services administers the filings and records South Dakota businesses rely on, including business registrations, annual reports, UCC and EFS filings, and fictitious names. General Services carries its own statewide responsibilities, including notary commissions, apostilles and authentications, lobbyist registrations, and concealed pistol permit records. Those functions affect businesses, lenders, public officials, and citizens every day, and they demand the same accuracy, reliable systems, responsive service, and sound administration that elections require.

South Dakota deserves a Secretary of State who will strengthen confidence through performance rather than provocation; who will support election officials rather than burden them for political effect; who will protect voter access and election security without pretending those goals are enemies; and who will treat the office’s employees, voters, candidates, and business owners with dignity.

I have spent more than a decade in this office. I have carried its responsibilities, defended its people, learned from its challenges, and worked to leave it stronger. With that experience, and with full understanding of what this endorsement may cost me, I believe Terrence Davis is the candidate best prepared to protect the office and serve South Dakota with seriousness, steadiness, and integrity.

That is why I am asking South Dakotans, Republicans, Democrats, and Libertarians, independents, and everyone in between, to look beyond the letter beside a candidate’s name, examine the record and the temperament of the candidates seeking this responsibility, and vote for Terrence Davis for Secretary of State.

 

 

 

Monae L. Johnson
South Dakota Secretary of State

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This is a personal political statement.  Not an official statement or endorsement of the South Dakota Secretary of State’s Office.

 

 

President Trump and Governor Rhoden Lower Prescription Drug Prices

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden joined President Donald J. Trump to announce lower prescription drug prices through “Most Favored Nation” pricing and the GENEROUS Model. They were joined by Secretary of Health & Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Administrator of the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Dr. Mehmet Oz, and several other governors. The announcement was held at the Oval Office in the White House.

“This announcement is a major win to make health care more affordable for Americans. With this announcement, we will cut prescription drug costs, and we’ll save money for South Dakota taxpayers,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “I am grateful for President Trump’s initiative on this, and I look forward to continuing to work with him to make health care stronger and more affordable.”

The GENEROUS Model brings “Most Favored Nation” pricing into Medicaid, allowing states to obtain additional Medicaid drug rebates, lower drug costs, and increase health care affordability for taxpayers. South Dakota has done a lot of work to lower prescription drug costs for Medicaid, but this announcement will help cut the cost of a few key drugs that cover a wide range of conditions.

Instead, of a one-size-fits-all approach, the GENEROUS Model gives states the power to choose which individual drugs make sense to opt-in on. South Dakota has currently identified three drugs that would benefit from these lower prices, saving the state approximately $750,000 a year.

“America shouldn’t pay higher drug prices than other developed nations,” continued Governor Larry Rhoden. “We can now confidently get the lowest cost for every prescription drug in our state. It is a game changer for health care affordability.”

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves were also in attendance.

Outgoing State Senator and accused election fraudster Tom Pischke has apparently filed requesting a new judge in his case, according to KELOland news:

A state lawmaker facing felony forgery charges is asking for a new judge in the case.

Court documents say Republican Sen. Tom Pischke believes he could not have a fair trial with the current Judge Susan Sabers.

Read the entire story here.