Mike Rounds has represented South Dakota in the U.S. Senate since 2015. Before that, he served two terms as governor (2003–2011), where he built his brand around steady administration, business friendliness, and classic Plains-state conservatism.
In the Senate, Rounds leans into national security, veterans’ care, farm and ranch priorities, rural healthcare access, and pro-growth tax and regulatory policy. He’s also been active on cybersecurity and defense modernization.
Supporters see him as calm, serious, and policy-focused. Some conservatives to his right argue he’s too aligned with party leadership on spending and too careful on the culture-war stuff.
Mainstream Conservative
Achievements
- Expanded veterans’ healthcare and benefits access
- Worked on cybersecurity and modernization of U.S. defense systems
- Strengthened agricultural support, crop insurance, and trade priorities
- Backed rural and tribal healthcare access efforts
- Consistent support for pro-business, low-regulation economic policy
Controversies
- Criticized for supporting entitlement reforms and spending restraint
- Faced pushback over certain immigration and border security negotiations
- Viewed by some conservatives as too aligned with Senate GOP leadership
- Scrutinized for defense spending priorities vs. domestic spending
- Questions from watchdogs about transparency and campaign finance
Top Donors
| Donor | Total | Individuals | PACs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apollo Global Management | $47,500 | $47,500 | $0 |
| Rocket Mortgage | $30,500 | $30,500 | $0 |
| Sanford Health | $28,500 | $28,500 | $0 |
| Blackstone Group | $28,200 | $28,200 | $0 |
| RDV Corp | $28,000 | $28,000 | $0 |
Amounts shown reflect organization-linked giving; most funds listed here are from individual donors or aligned PACs.
Recent Elections
2014 Margin R +20.5%
2020 Margin R +32.4%