Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Freedom
By: Gov. Larry Rhoden
July 3, 2026
Here in South Dakota, we still honor America, our freedoms, and our Founding Fathers. Proof of that can be found in places like Mount Rushmore. The four leaders are carved in granite – the images of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt are built to last for generations. Their leadership will not be forgotten. More importantly, the principles, the values, and the freedoms they stood for carry just as much weight today as they did 250 years ago. Because of their vision, America is not just a piece of land. America is an ideal. A set of values. A shining City on the Hill. An example to the world of freedom.
One hundred years ago, President Calvin Coolidge said, as he commemorated the 150th anniversary of America:
“About the Declaration, there is a finality that is exceedingly restful. It is often asserted that the world has made a great deal of progress since 1776… and that we may therefore very well discard their conclusions for something more modern. But that reasoning cannot be applied to this great charter. If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just power from the consent of the governed, that is final. No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propositions. If anyone wishes to deny their truth or their soundness, the only direction in which he can proceed historically is not forward – but backward toward the time when there was no equality, no rights of the individual, no rule of the people.”
Those are powerful words from a great leader who loved the Black Hills of South Dakota!
Six years ago, On July 3, 2020, we were joined by the same kind of leader, President Donald J. Trump. President Trump helped bring back fireworks to Mount Rushmore. And when he took office again, we got right back to work. Under the Trump Administration, the lines of communication with Washington are back open. Our state can partner with federal agencies and influence change at the highest levels with just a phone call. We have a President who puts the American people first – American safety first – and American freedom first.
My mission as Governor of South Dakota is to keep our state strong, safe, and free. Like America is to the world, South Dakota has been a beacon of hope for what is possible when we keep government limited – when we remain true to America’s values and our freedoms. Here, we recognize that our rights, liberties, and freedoms are given to us by God – not by government – and government has no authority to take them away.
America isn’t perfect. Lord knows that challenges will arise. But America has overcome challenges for 250 years and turned them into opportunities. And we will continue to do that by holding true to the ideals of the four men on Mount Rushmore. They stand as a testament to leadership. To courage. To bold vision. And to an unshakable belief in the protection of our freedom.
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This is basically the speech he gave at Mount Rushmore. The speech its self is a good speech. Gov Rhoden just doesn’t deliver speeches well. Clearly reading and boring. That’s not a reason to not vote for him but is an opportunity to improve.
Larry speaks from the heart. He’s genuinely, if not eloquent.
Larry Rhoden is certainly not eloquent, and when he goes off script to tease North Dakota on national television, well that just shows that he isn’t terribly smart, either. A spokesman for South Dakota? No.
Rhoden is highly intelligent. He’s also folksy. Both are to his credit.
South Dakotans really need to on their smartest behavior to this summer. See who is in front of you.
Rhoden’s smart. That implies thought, talent and creativity. Doeden is totally imitative. That implies Trumpy-See-Trumpy-Do, making promises that help the polls go up and up.
Don’t fall for the fashioned images of Doeden’s Trump-cribbed escalator advent, his rising at a time made for such as him. It is all bullcrap.
Larry Rhoden isn’t perfect, but he has experience, loyalty, and the long institutional history to rely on.
Even in a calm year, helming South Dakota successfully calls for a firm sense of history and knowledge of the complexe issues which must balance out each budget year.
The Republican majority DOES NOT TRUST a Democrat to avoid wrecking it all, and they’re never elected. Look carefully at Doeden and please decide this isn’t the time to trust someone who is as likely to screw everything up, except in the opposite direction.
South Dakota truly isn’t like any other place on earth, don’t let some bozo wreck it.
What kind of speech is Gov Doughboy going to give next year?
I can’t wait!
I didnt realize Jamie Smith was also running for Governor??
For what its worth…………. Kalshi has Rhoden over Doeden 56% – 43% Over $1,000,000 bet so far
What’s their success rate on predicting political races?
Kalshi is just a peer to peer / supply and demand betting site. “taint like a normal bookie that would be happy to win the 10% “vig”
So it’s meaningless in predicting voter behavior.
Just another indicator like all polls but this has $$ backing it Will be interesting to watch
It doesn’t indicate anything. You might as well read tea leaves or entrails.
NADA dummy Its real $$ going on this
So just as accurate as betting on March Madness brackets.
That’s an apples-to-lawnmowers comparison. If you want to critique election markets, use election market data—not basketball brackets.
There is no such thing as election markets. Nothing is being bought or sold. It’s gambling.
I have been trying to convince a non-affiliated (independent) voter to switch his registration to republican so he can vote in the run-off, because he doesn’t like Doeden, and his answer was “I think I’ll just wait till November and vote for the Democrat.”
That, right there, tells you that whoever wins this run-off is going to win in November.
Dan Ahlers might as well be campaigning with a paper bag over his head as the “unknown candidate.” If you ask people “who is the SDDP’s candidate for governor?” or “who is Dan Ahlers?” most of them will have no idea.
If Larry needs Democrats to vote for him to win the runoff, he’s the wrong candidate.
If Larry needs the support of Democrats pretending to be Republicans, he’s the wrong candidate.
This is why open primaries is complete BS. Anyone advocating for Independents and Democrats to pick Republican nominees is openly admitting they cant win over actual republican voters.
Not at all. While I have no plans to switch I can understand why they would and have legal right to do so. One reason is a pragmatic one being the lesser of two evils. Doeden in my opinion has a long history of serious core moral and ethical issues. His administration would be a major liability to the state of South Dakota causing serious damage to the reputation of the state, it’s economy and citizens.
Rather Trump-like