Now, I heard an interesting rumor today. Rounds considering a return to Governor’s office?

@SoDakCampaigns

I heard an interesting rumor today.

There’s a lot of chatter in politics about what’s going to happen in the next election.. or farther beyond.

For the races that are up in 2024, let’s not kid ourselves. It’s as off as an off-year comes.  There will be a Public Utilities Commission race, which we anticipate will be helmed by PUC Commissioner Kristie Fiegen. Congressman Dusty Johnson will be up again, and maybe Democrats will finally run a candidate. Or maybe not. More likely he may be challenged from the hard-right, again. And they’ll fare poorly, again. While consultants suck up al their cash. Again.

I’ve always said 2026 will be the “big one.” Arguably the one that will be re-writing the state’s political map, with the Constitutional Offices mostly all fielding new candidates. And at the very top of the ticket for the big three (US Senate, Congress, and Governor) I have always thought that we will likely be looking at a huge change point.  It will be a generational change for all of South Dakota politics.

Governor Kristi Noem will be termed out (unless she’s no longer Governor, and has been tapped for something greater). Mike Rounds’ US Senate Seat will be up, and we don’t know if he will run again. And many believe that 2026 will be the year that there are better than even odds that Congressman Dusty Johnson might just take the leap and run to become South Dakota’s next Governor.

But… wait a minute. There’s another rumor that’s been bubbling around the Capitol this week.

There a rumor out there saying that there’s a possibility that current US Senator Mike Rounds might be looking at the race like a modern day Bill Janklow, and coming back to run for Governor again in 2026 when Kristi Noem is termed out. That’s interesting to say the least.  The announcements for 2026 will start coming as soon as November or December 2024. 21 months away.

If he was to do it, Rounds running for Governor again would bring with it a number of challenges that he didn’t face before.

His base of support would be shared with that of Congressman Dusty Johnson. Which could be further complicated from a challenge from the far-right that may emerge in this current and turbulent chapter within the SDGOP.

If the rumor has a ring of truth to it, if he ran, Rounds would be running to be the oldest Governor in South Dakota State History, clocking in at 72 years old, five years older than South Dakota’s current oldest Governor, Walter Dale Miller, when Walt took office. In a 2026 GOP Gubernatorial primary, Rounds would most likely be running against Dusty Johnson who would turn 50 on the tail end of the campaign, about the middle of the pack for our Governors when it comes to age at Inaugural, (Between Vessey and Gubbrud).

We’ve got 21 months to countdown until people are going to get serious about who will run for Governor. But if Rounds gets in the race, it will be an unexpected wrinkle that will cause people to rework predictions and the calculus of the race.

28 thoughts on “Now, I heard an interesting rumor today. Rounds considering a return to Governor’s office?”

  1. Dusty Johnson is a fine Representative, but I prefer Rounds here. 72 is when Chuck Grassley just started hitting his stride. Rounds will be fine.

    1. Haha. Hilarious.

      I would be all in for Rounds to return.

      I would strongly support Rounds.

    1. Or just that he wants to run. It’s a rumor, and a lot can change between now and then.

        1. I would guess we will know by November 2024. He would want to be announced before it turns into a crowded free-for-all.

  4. I think Rounds would garner a lot of support. Many of us long for a good executive who just wants to run the State well and not be so self promoting. This would allow DJ to run for Senate. Jackley could stay as AG.

      1. I’m a big Marty fan, but I feel like he’s a bit too uptight for the bigger stage. He lacks some charisma, and I feel like that is felt at the time of election. I’m sure he could win in South Dakota by having the (R) next to his name only, but I don’t know how successful he would be in D.C.

      1. I like it.

        1. Rounds is popular
        2. Rounds can transfer his federal war chest
        3. He lives in pierre anyway
        4. People don’t want a knock down drag out for gov again.
        5. Let’s just push pause on the hyper ambitions of some people for a little while.

        I’m praying for his return.

        2. “Let’s just push pause on the hyper ambitions of some people for a little while.”

          Yes indeed, so the old timers who have already had their chance can still be ambitious!

  6. If Rounds does run again maybe Dusty goes for the Senate seat? I like both guys but I don’t think Rounds gets beat in a primary. Of course on the flip side, none of these federal people can run on accomplishments in DC. That place is an absolute mess created by both parties.

  7. I’m not sure what would be more boring another Rounds governorship or a Rhoden governorship.

    1. i wouldn’t call a proven record of effective promotion of this state’s interests ‘boring.’

  9. Mike Rounds has always been good to the party. He has bought a table (or 2) at every LDD in the state even if he had nobody able to go, he always wanted to help the county parties.

  10. I can’t imagine Dusty running if Rounds runs, right? Does he run for Senate? Or just bide his time in the House for awhile longer? I get why no one wants to stay there and run every 2 years, but I’ve always wished someone would stick in that House seat and amass seniority to chair a key committee or serve in leadership.

  11. Pro-life, pro-South Dakota, pro-Pierre, pro-military and veterans, pro infrastructure, pro campassioante-conservatism pro-state work force, anti-dama, hands on, doesn’t need a state provided jet or a pilot …

    1 term with Dusty as Lt. Gov… and then..

  12. Dusty is calling supporters and telling them he is running for Governor when Noem’s term is up. He’s in.

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