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Mike Rounds31st Governor of South Dakota
Date of Birth: 24.10.1954
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Mike Rounds
Mike Rounds, the 31st governor of South Dakota, took office on January 7, 2003, and continues to serve in this position till today. He was elected to this post on November 5, 2002, and reelected on November 7, 2006.
Early Life and Education
Mike Rounds, the eldest of 11 children, was born in Huron, South Dakota, and has lived in the state capital, Pierre, since the age of three. He was named after his uncle, Marion Rounds, who was killed in action in the Pacific theater during World War II, but has been called 'Mike' since childhood. Rounds attended South Dakota State University in Brookings, where he earned a bachelor's degree in political science. It was during his studies that he met his future wife, Jean, a graduate of Lake Preston, South Dakota. They got married in 1978 and have four children together.
Political Career
From 1991 to 2001, Rounds represented the interests of the 24th district, which includes Pierre and its surrounding areas, in the South Dakota Legislature, serving as majority leader in 1995. In 1990, Rounds won 52.5% of the vote against incumbent state senator Jacqueline Kelley, a Democrat. In the subsequent re-elections, he received 59.9% of the vote in 1992, 77.3% in 1994, 66.0% in 1996, and 74.9% in 1998. Rounds was prohibited from running for re-election in 2000 due to term limit restrictions imposed by voters in South Dakota in 1994. In 1995, Rounds was elected leader of the majority caucus in the Senate. As majority leader, Rounds worked closely with Governor Bill Janklow and gained respect for his effective leadership in the Senate. He also played a significant role in the passage of many of Janklow's initiatives, including property tax reduction, school funding reform, and the sale of the state's cement plant.
Governorship
On November 5, 2002, Rounds was elected governor, marking a significant milestone in his career. He became the first resident of Pierre, the state capital, and the first graduate of South Dakota State University, the largest university in the state, to hold the position of governor. He was also the firstborn in his family. During Rounds' tenure, the first death sentence in South Dakota since 1947 was carried out. In July 2007, volunteer Elijah Page was executed by lethal injection. In 2008, Rounds became the Chairman of the Midwestern Governors Association.
