Mike Rounds
Encyclopedia
Marion Michael "Mike" Rounds (born October 24, 1954) is an American
politician
. Rounds served as the 31st Governor
of South Dakota
. Rounds was first inaugurated on January 7, 2003, having been elected
on November 5, 2002, and was re-elected on November 7, 2006. His term expired in January 2011.
Rounds currently serves as a co-chair of the Health Project at the Bipartisan Policy Center
.
and has lived in Pierre
, the state capital, since he was three years old. He was named for an uncle, Marion Rounds, who was killed in the Pacific theater during the Second World War.
Several members of the Rounds family have been involved in state government. His father, Don Rounds, worked at various times as state director of highway safety, a staffer for Rural Electrification Administration, and executive director of the South Dakota Petroleum Council. Rounds's brother, Tim Rounds, is a member of the South Dakota State Legislature
representing District 24, which includes Pierre
.
in Brookings
, where he earned his B.S.
in political science
. While at SDSU, Rounds met his wife, Jean, formerly of Lake Preston, South Dakota
. They were married in 1978 and have four children.
Rounds is a partner in Fischer Rounds & Associates, an insurance and real estate firm with offices in Pierre
, Rapid City
, Mitchell
, and Brandon
. He placed his ownership interest into a blind trust
upon being elected governor.
of Pierre. He is also a member of numerous service clubs and community organizations including Elks
, Exchange Club
, Knights of Columbus
, and Ducks Unlimited
.
and the surrounding area in the South Dakota State Legislature from 1991 to 2001, serving from 1995 as majority leader
. In 1990, Rounds won 52.5% of the vote in a successful challenge of incumbent state senator Jacqueline Kelley, a Pierre Democrat. He was reelected in 1992 with 59.9%, in 1994 with 77.3%, in 1996 with 66.0%, and in 1998 with 74.9%. Rounds was barred from seeking reelection in 2000 by legislative term limit
s, which South Dakota voters had passed in 1994.
In 1995, Rounds was selected by his peers to be Senate Majority Leader
. During his time as majority leader, Rounds worked closely with Governor Bill Janklow
and was respected for his effective leadership of the Senate. Rounds had an important role in passing several of Janklow's initiatives, including property tax
reduction, reform of the school aid funding formula, the "wiring" of South Dakota schools, and the sale of the state cement plant.
was the front-runner for the nomination. When Thune passed on the race to challenge Senator Tim Johnson, state Attorney General Mark Barnett and former Lt. Governor Steve Kirby
quickly became candidates. Rounds declared his candidacy late, in December 2001, and was outraised and outspent ten to one by each of his opponents.
However, the contest between Kirby and Barnett soon became very negative and "dirty". As the two front-runners concentrated on each other, Rounds insisted on running a positive campaign and was not attacked by his opponents. Rounds's positive image and extensive knowledge of state government won him many supporters who were alienated by the front-runners. On the day of the primary election, Rounds won a stunning victory, with 44.3% of the vote to Barnett's 29.5% and Kirby's 26.1%.
After winning the Republican nomination, Rounds selected state senator Dennis Daugaard of Dell Rapids
to be his running mate. Their Democratic opponents were University of South Dakota
President Jim Abbott of Vermillion
and his running mate, former state representative Mike Wilson of Rapid City
.
Rounds was elected governor on November 5, 2002. The results were as follows:
His election signaled several "firsts" for South Dakota
. Rounds is the first resident of Pierre
, the capital city
, to be elected Governor. He is also the first alumnus of South Dakota State University
, the state's largest university, to serve as governor, as well as the first baby boomer
.
personality and former South Dakotan Pat O'Brien
was considering a return to his home state to challenge Rounds; however, revelations of personal problems ended speculation about an O'Brien candidacy in 2006. Former state senator Ron J. Volesky
of Huron
, a Democrat, had announced his intention to oppose Rounds, but abandoned his bid on February 22, 2006, citing an inability to raise funds.
Two Democratic candidates emerged to challenge Rounds: Jack Billion
, a retired surgeon and former state legislator
from Sioux Falls
, and Dennis Wiese, the former president of the South Dakota Farmers Union
. Billion easily defeated Wiese for the nomination, and selected Rapid City
school board member Eric Abrahamson
as his running mate.
Rounds was reelected on November 7, 2006. The results were as follows:
s except those necessary to save the mother's life (see double effect). Rounds signed the act on March 6, and the ban was to have taken effect on July 1, 2006, but never did because of a court challenge. A referendum
for a potential repeal
of H.B. 1215 was placed on the ballot for the November 2006 statewide election due to a successful petition. On May 30, over 38,000 signatures were filed, more than twice the 17,000 required to qualify. The law was ultimately repealed by voters on November 7, 2006.
According to a Survey USA poll released in January 2006, Rounds had an approval rating of 73% and a "net" approval rating of +52%, which placed him among the top five governors in the United States in terms of approval rating. Following the abortion ban, again according to a SurveyUSA poll, Rounds's approval rating dropped 14% to 58%; his approval rebounded to 70% after the ban was repealed.
The Argus Leader, the largest newspaper in South Dakota, ran an opinion piece regarding the legislature’s overwhelming passage of the distillery bill. The article, entitled "Ethically confused – again: For lawmakers, high moral ground doesn't include the Roundses' booze business", noted the irony that the state legislature would allow operation of distilleries in the same session that it passed legislation banning abortion. Sen. Clarence Kooistra (R), one of the few state legislators to vote against the bill was quoted as saying, "I just didn't think we should be expanding liquor sales. I felt we were sending the wrong message."
in July 2007.
named Rounds one of 11 "worst governors" in the United States because of various ethics issues throughout Rounds' term as governor. Some of Rounds' alleged ethics lapses cited by the watchdog include:
.
seat held currently by Tim Johnson, a Democrat who has held the seat since 1997. However, Rounds did not file to run against Johnson by the deadline, passing on the Senate race.
Articles
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
. Rounds served as the 31st Governor
Governor of South Dakota
The Governor of South Dakota is the head of the executive branch of the government of South Dakota. They are elected to a four year term on even years when there is no Presidential election. The current governor is Dennis Daugaard, a Republican elected in 2010....
of South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
. Rounds was first inaugurated on January 7, 2003, having been elected
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
on November 5, 2002, and was re-elected on November 7, 2006. His term expired in January 2011.
Rounds currently serves as a co-chair of the Health Project at the Bipartisan Policy Center
Bipartisan Policy Center
The is a non-profit organization that "drives principled solutions through rigorous analysis, reasoned negotiation, and respectful dialogue." Founded in 2007 by former Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell, "BPC combines politically-balanced policymaking...
.
Background
Rounds, the eldest of eleven siblings, was born in Huron, South DakotaHuron, South Dakota
Huron is a city in Beadle County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 12,592 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Beadle County. Huron was the home of now-defunct Huron University since 1897. Huron is also the home of the South Dakota State Fair...
and has lived in Pierre
Pierre, South Dakota
Pierre is the capital of the U.S. state of South Dakota and the county seat of Hughes County. The population was 13,646 at the 2010 census, making it the second least populous state capital after Montpelier, Vermont...
, the state capital, since he was three years old. He was named for an uncle, Marion Rounds, who was killed in the Pacific theater during the Second World War.
Several members of the Rounds family have been involved in state government. His father, Don Rounds, worked at various times as state director of highway safety, a staffer for Rural Electrification Administration, and executive director of the South Dakota Petroleum Council. Rounds's brother, Tim Rounds, is a member of the South Dakota State Legislature
South Dakota Legislature
The South Dakota State Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of South Dakota. It is a bicameral legislative body, consisting of the South Dakota Senate, which has 35 members, and the South Dakota House of Representatives, which has 70 members...
representing District 24, which includes Pierre
Pierre, South Dakota
Pierre is the capital of the U.S. state of South Dakota and the county seat of Hughes County. The population was 13,646 at the 2010 census, making it the second least populous state capital after Montpelier, Vermont...
.
Personal life
Rounds attended South Dakota State UniversitySouth Dakota State University
South Dakota State University is the largest university in the U.S. state of South Dakota, located in Brookings. A public land-grant university and sun grant college, founded under the provisions of the 1862 Morrill Act, SDSU offers programs of study required by, or harmonious to, this Act...
in Brookings
Brookings, South Dakota
Brookings is a city in Brookings County, South Dakota, United States. Brookings is the fourth largest city in South Dakota, with a population of 22,056 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Brookings County, and home to South Dakota State University, the largest institution of higher...
, where he earned his B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. While at SDSU, Rounds met his wife, Jean, formerly of Lake Preston, South Dakota
Lake Preston, South Dakota
Lake Preston is a city in Kingsbury County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 599 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Lake Preston is located at ....
. They were married in 1978 and have four children.
Rounds is a partner in Fischer Rounds & Associates, an insurance and real estate firm with offices in Pierre
Pierre, South Dakota
Pierre is the capital of the U.S. state of South Dakota and the county seat of Hughes County. The population was 13,646 at the 2010 census, making it the second least populous state capital after Montpelier, Vermont...
, Rapid City
Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek on which the city is established, it is set against the eastern slope of the Black Hills mountain range. The population was 67,956 as of the 2010 Census. Rapid...
, Mitchell
Mitchell, South Dakota
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 14,558 people, 6,121 households, and 3,599 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,475.7 people per square mile . There were 6,555 housing units at an average density of 664.4 per square mile...
, and Brandon
Brandon, South Dakota
There were 1,909 households out of which 53.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.0% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.6% were non-families. 13.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.3% had someone...
. He placed his ownership interest into a blind trust
Blind trust
A blind trust is a trust in which the fiduciaries, namely the trustees or those who have been given power of attorney, have full discretion over the assets, and the trust beneficiaries have no knowledge of the holdings of the trust and no right to intervene in their handling...
upon being elected governor.
Affiliations
Rounds is a member of Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
of Pierre. He is also a member of numerous service clubs and community organizations including Elks
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868...
, Exchange Club
National Exchange Club
The National Exchange Club – a service organization with 700 clubs and more than 21,000 members throughout the United States and Puerto Rico – celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2011. The Exchange Club was officially started in 1911 as a national organization in Detroit, Michigan. Its second...
, Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
, and Ducks Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of wetlands and associated upland habitats for waterfowl, other wildlife, and people. It currently has approximately 780,000 members, mostly in the United States and Canada.-Introduction:Ducks Unlimited was...
.
State Senator
Rounds represented District 24, which includes PierrePierre, South Dakota
Pierre is the capital of the U.S. state of South Dakota and the county seat of Hughes County. The population was 13,646 at the 2010 census, making it the second least populous state capital after Montpelier, Vermont...
and the surrounding area in the South Dakota State Legislature from 1991 to 2001, serving from 1995 as majority leader
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...
. In 1990, Rounds won 52.5% of the vote in a successful challenge of incumbent state senator Jacqueline Kelley, a Pierre Democrat. He was reelected in 1992 with 59.9%, in 1994 with 77.3%, in 1996 with 66.0%, and in 1998 with 74.9%. Rounds was barred from seeking reelection in 2000 by legislative term limit
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
s, which South Dakota voters had passed in 1994.
In 1995, Rounds was selected by his peers to be Senate Majority Leader
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...
. During his time as majority leader, Rounds worked closely with Governor Bill Janklow
Bill Janklow
William John "Bill" Janklow served as the 25th Attorney General of South Dakota, before being elected as South Dakota's 27th and 30th Governor, as well as to the United States House of Representatives where he served for a little more than a year. A Republican, Janklow's career has continued as a...
and was respected for his effective leadership of the Senate. Rounds had an important role in passing several of Janklow's initiatives, including property tax
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
reduction, reform of the school aid funding formula, the "wiring" of South Dakota schools, and the sale of the state cement plant.
2002 Gubernatorial Election
Rounds's victory in the 2002 Republican Gubernatorial Primary was one of South Dakota's greatest political upsets. Until late in 2001, then-Congressman John ThuneJohn Thune
John Randolph Thune is the junior U.S. Senator from South Dakota and a member of the Republican Party. He previously served as a U.S. Representative for .-Early Life, Education:...
was the front-runner for the nomination. When Thune passed on the race to challenge Senator Tim Johnson, state Attorney General Mark Barnett and former Lt. Governor Steve Kirby
Steve T. Kirby
Steve T. Kirby was the thirty-fifth Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota. He is a member of local, state, and national boards of directors.-Biography:...
quickly became candidates. Rounds declared his candidacy late, in December 2001, and was outraised and outspent ten to one by each of his opponents.
However, the contest between Kirby and Barnett soon became very negative and "dirty". As the two front-runners concentrated on each other, Rounds insisted on running a positive campaign and was not attacked by his opponents. Rounds's positive image and extensive knowledge of state government won him many supporters who were alienated by the front-runners. On the day of the primary election, Rounds won a stunning victory, with 44.3% of the vote to Barnett's 29.5% and Kirby's 26.1%.
After winning the Republican nomination, Rounds selected state senator Dennis Daugaard of Dell Rapids
Dell Rapids, South Dakota
Dell Rapids is a city in Minnehaha County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 3,633 at the 2010 census. It is known as "The little city with the big attractions."-Geography:...
to be his running mate. Their Democratic opponents were University of South Dakota
University of South Dakota
The University of South Dakota ', the state’s oldest university, was founded in 1862 and classes began in 1882. Located in Vermillion, South Dakota, United States, USD is home to South Dakota's only medical school and law school. USD is governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents, and its current...
President Jim Abbott of Vermillion
Vermillion, South Dakota
Vermillion is a city in and the county seat of Clay County, in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the tenth largest city in the state. According to the 2010 Census, the population was 10,571. Vermillion lies atop a bluff near the Missouri River.The area has been home to...
and his running mate, former state representative Mike Wilson of Rapid City
Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek on which the city is established, it is set against the eastern slope of the Black Hills mountain range. The population was 67,956 as of the 2010 Census. Rapid...
.
Rounds was elected governor on November 5, 2002. The results were as follows:
- Republicans: Mike Rounds and Dennis Daugaard– 56.8%
- Democrats: Jim Abbott and Mike Wilson– 41.9%
- Independent: Jim Carlson and Ron Bosch– 0.7%
- Libertarians: Nathan Barton and Eric Risty– 0.6%
His election signaled several "firsts" for South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
. Rounds is the first resident of Pierre
Pierre, South Dakota
Pierre is the capital of the U.S. state of South Dakota and the county seat of Hughes County. The population was 13,646 at the 2010 census, making it the second least populous state capital after Montpelier, Vermont...
, the capital city
Capital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
, to be elected Governor. He is also the first alumnus of South Dakota State University
South Dakota State University
South Dakota State University is the largest university in the U.S. state of South Dakota, located in Brookings. A public land-grant university and sun grant college, founded under the provisions of the 1862 Morrill Act, SDSU offers programs of study required by, or harmonious to, this Act...
, the state's largest university, to serve as governor, as well as the first baby boomer
Baby boomer
A baby boomer is a person who was born during the demographic Post-World War II baby boom and who grew up during the period between 1946 and 1964. The term "baby boomer" is sometimes used in a cultural context. Therefore, it is impossible to achieve broad consensus of a precise definition, even...
.
2006 Election
Rounds enjoyed high popularity throughout most of his first term. After signing a controversial bill to ban most abortions in early 2006, Rounds approval rating dropped significantly, but recovered substantially by summer. In 2004, rumors circulated that televisionTelevision
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
personality and former South Dakotan Pat O'Brien
Pat O'Brien (television)
Pat O'Brien is currently a radio host with Fox Sports Radio as well as an author. He is best known for his time as a sportscaster with CBS Sports and as anchor/host of Access Hollywood and The Insider .O'Brien covered five Olympic Games, two for CBS...
was considering a return to his home state to challenge Rounds; however, revelations of personal problems ended speculation about an O'Brien candidacy in 2006. Former state senator Ron J. Volesky
Ron J. Volesky
Ron J. Volesky is an American lawyer, who served 16 years in the South Dakota Senate, first as a member of the Republican Party before switching to the Democratic Party.- Personal life :Volesky lives in Huron, S.D...
of Huron
Huron, South Dakota
Huron is a city in Beadle County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 12,592 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Beadle County. Huron was the home of now-defunct Huron University since 1897. Huron is also the home of the South Dakota State Fair...
, a Democrat, had announced his intention to oppose Rounds, but abandoned his bid on February 22, 2006, citing an inability to raise funds.
Two Democratic candidates emerged to challenge Rounds: Jack Billion
Jack Billion
John "Jack" Billion was the 2006 Democratic Party candidate for governor of South Dakota.-Early years:...
, a retired surgeon and former state legislator
South Dakota Legislature
The South Dakota State Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of South Dakota. It is a bicameral legislative body, consisting of the South Dakota Senate, which has 35 members, and the South Dakota House of Representatives, which has 70 members...
from Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota. Sioux Falls is the county seat of Minnehaha County, and also extends into Lincoln County to the south...
, and Dennis Wiese, the former president of the South Dakota Farmers Union
National Farmers Union (U.S.)
The National Farmers Union is a national federation of State Farmers Union organizations in the United States. It is the second largest general farm organization in the country, after Farm Bureau. The organization was founded in Point, Texas, in 1902 and is now headquartered in Washington, D.C...
. Billion easily defeated Wiese for the nomination, and selected Rapid City
Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek on which the city is established, it is set against the eastern slope of the Black Hills mountain range. The population was 67,956 as of the 2010 Census. Rapid...
school board member Eric Abrahamson
Eric Abrahamson
Dr. Eric John Abrahamson is an institutional historian and the 2006 Democratic candidate for the office of Lieutenant Governor in South Dakota. His running mate was Dr. Jack Billion.- Professional and Civic Life :...
as his running mate.
Rounds was reelected on November 7, 2006. The results were as follows:
- Republicans: Mike Rounds and Dennis Daugaard– 61.7%
- Democrats: Jack BillionJack BillionJohn "Jack" Billion was the 2006 Democratic Party candidate for governor of South Dakota.-Early years:...
and Eric AbrahamsonEric AbrahamsonDr. Eric John Abrahamson is an institutional historian and the 2006 Democratic candidate for the office of Lieutenant Governor in South Dakota. His running mate was Dr. Jack Billion.- Professional and Civic Life :...
– 36.1% - Constitution: Steven J. WillisSteven J. WillisSteven J. Willis is the South Dakota Constitution Party Chairman. He was candidate for Governor of South Dakota in the 2006 election on the Constitution Party ticket, receiving 4,006 votes for 1.2% of the total. He has served in the United States Navy, holds a master's degree, is a licensed...
and Larry Johnsen– 1.2% - Libertarians: Tom Gerber and Betty Rose Ryan– 1.0%
Abortion ban
On February 22, 2006, the state legislature of South Dakota passed an act banning all medical abortionAbortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
s except those necessary to save the mother's life (see double effect). Rounds signed the act on March 6, and the ban was to have taken effect on July 1, 2006, but never did because of a court challenge. A referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
for a potential repeal
Repeal
A repeal is the amendment, removal or reversal of a law. This is generally done when a law is no longer effective, or it is shown that a law is having far more negative consequences than were originally envisioned....
of H.B. 1215 was placed on the ballot for the November 2006 statewide election due to a successful petition. On May 30, over 38,000 signatures were filed, more than twice the 17,000 required to qualify. The law was ultimately repealed by voters on November 7, 2006.
According to a Survey USA poll released in January 2006, Rounds had an approval rating of 73% and a "net" approval rating of +52%, which placed him among the top five governors in the United States in terms of approval rating. Following the abortion ban, again according to a SurveyUSA poll, Rounds's approval rating dropped 14% to 58%; his approval rebounded to 70% after the ban was repealed.
Distilleries legislation
During the 2006 legislative session, Governor Rounds signed House Bill 1233, entitled “An Act to provide for the establishment and operation of artisan distillers and to revise certain provisions concerning farm wineries.” This bill, proposed by Jamison Rounds (another of Gov. Rounds's brothers), changed state law to allow for operation of small-scale (50,000 gallons/year/facility) liquor distilleries in the state. At the time, Jamison Rounds testified before the legislature and explained that he was advocating the change so that he could open a distillery in the state. The bill passed the state house 60-5 and the state senate 33-2; among those voting in favor was another Rounds brother, Representative Tim Rounds. Shortly after the law went into effect, Jamison and Tom Rounds announced they had purchased a building outside of Pierre with the intention of opening a distillery.The Argus Leader, the largest newspaper in South Dakota, ran an opinion piece regarding the legislature’s overwhelming passage of the distillery bill. The article, entitled "Ethically confused – again: For lawmakers, high moral ground doesn't include the Roundses' booze business", noted the irony that the state legislature would allow operation of distilleries in the same session that it passed legislation banning abortion. Sen. Clarence Kooistra (R), one of the few state legislators to vote against the bill was quoted as saying, "I just didn't think we should be expanding liquor sales. I felt we were sending the wrong message."
Death penalty
Under Rounds's administration South Dakota carried out the first execution in the state since 1947, when volunteer Elijah Page was put to death by lethal injectionLethal injection
Lethal injection is the practice of injecting a person with a fatal dose of drugs for the express purpose of causing the immediate death of the subject. The main application for this procedure is capital punishment, but the term may also be applied in a broad sense to euthanasia and suicide...
in July 2007.
Ethics group named Rounds one of America's worst governors
In its April 2010 report, ethics watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in WashingtonCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington is a nonprofit 501 organization that describes itself as "dedicated to promoting ethics and accountability in government and public life by targeting government officials – regardless of party affiliation – who sacrifice the common good to...
named Rounds one of 11 "worst governors" in the United States because of various ethics issues throughout Rounds' term as governor. Some of Rounds' alleged ethics lapses cited by the watchdog include:
- Resisted efforts to promote government transparency and frustrated public access to information
- Used his office for personal benefit
- Abused state authority for the benefit of friends and family
Midwestern Governors Association
Rounds served as the 2008 Chair of the Midwestern Governors AssociationMidwestern Governors Association
The Midwestern Governors Association is a 501 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that brings together the Midwestern governors of states to work cooperatively on public policy issues of significance to the region. The MGA was created in December 1962 in Chicago, when articles of organization were...
.
Beyond 2006
Speculation persisted that in 2008, Rounds would seek the United States SenateUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
seat held currently by Tim Johnson, a Democrat who has held the seat since 1997. However, Rounds did not file to run against Johnson by the deadline, passing on the Senate race.
External links
- 2010 Initiative official state economic development plan from the governor
- Quotations at Brainy Quote
- Profile from the South Dakota Legislature
Articles
- S.D. Abortion Bill Takes Aim at 'Roe' Washington Post, February 22, 2006
- South Dakota governor signs abortion ban MSNBC, March. 7, 2006
- US state tightens abortion laws BBC News, March 7, 2006
- Creepy Sleepy Governor Rounds interviewed by the Creepy Sleepy Show podcast, May 18, 2006