LR
Larry Rhoden
RepublicanGovernor of South Dakota| Age | 67 (b. 1959-02-05) |
| Gender | Male |
| In office since | 2025-01-01 (~1 yrs) |
| Race / ethnicity | White |
| Religion | Baptist (trustee of Union Center Community Baptist Church 1983-2002; currently serves as a deacon of his home church) |
| Education | Graduated from Sunshine Bible Academy (1977); no college degree reported |
| Prior occupation | Rancher (cow-calf / purebred Angus cattle operation) and custom welder |
| Military service | Yes: South Dakota Army National Guard |
| Birthplace | Sturgis, South Dakota |
| Marital status | Married — Sandra 'Sandy' (Murphy) Rhoden |
| Children | 4 |
| Residence | Union Center, South Dakota (family ranch); official residence in Pierre as governor |
| Notable relatives | Son Reggie Rhoden served as executive director of the South Dakota Republican Party |
Pending research: languages · openly lgbtq.
Career & politics
| First elected | 2000 |
| Previous offices | South Dakota House of Representatives, District 29 (2001-2009) · South Dakota Senate, District 29 (2009-2015) · South Dakota Senate, District 29 (2017-2019) · 39th Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota (2019-2025) · Acting/Interim Secretary of Agriculture of South Dakota (May 8 - August 27, 2020) |
| Leadership | South Dakota House Majority Leader (2005-2008) · South Dakota Senate Majority Whip · Chair, House State Affairs Committee · Chair, Senate State Affairs Committee |
| Ideology | Conservative Republican; ran in 2014 as a 'conservative voice for limited government' opposing abortion, same-sex marriage, and Medicaid/healthcare expansion; strong Second Amendment advocate |
| Signature legislation | Sponsored/championed Second Amendment legislation, including HB 1156 to allow enhanced-permit holders to carry firearms in the state Capitol · Worked to reform property taxes · Led effort to repeal the so-called 'Trucker's Tax' |
Financial
No holdings recorded yet (from official Financial Disclosure filings).
Scandals & crimes ledger
No recorded incidents. Under the adjudicated-only methodology, an entry appears only when a court or official body has formally acted and the record is cited.