Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight
Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds formally announced Thursday that he will seek reelection this year, launching a bid for a third six-year term representing South Dakota in Washington, D.C.
In an interview with South Dakota Searchlight, Rounds said “our work is not done yet,” pointing to priorities like cutting taxes, improving agricultural markets, preparations tied to the new B-21 bomber’s impending arrival at Ellsworth Air Force Base, and continued growth of the underground research laboratory at the former Homestake Mine in the Black Hills.
The 71-year-old Rounds said his focus is on making South Dakota a place where young people “stay and raise their own families.” The former two-term governor was sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January 2015 and won reelection in 2020.
Rounds said he is a “Reagan Republican that votes with President Trump 99% of the time.”
Recently, that included voting against advancing a war powers resolution that would have stopped President Donald Trump from taking further military action against Venezuela without congressional authorization. Earlier this month, U.S. special forces apprehended Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their bedroom during a surprise overnight raid. The couple was wanted by U.S. authorities on federal drug and conspiracy charges.
“When that war powers act was brought in, and when it was voted on, we did not have any boots on the ground in Venezuela,” Rounds said. “And in this particular case, it was our military helping in a law enforcement action down there, specifically with regard to trying to go after drug dealers and folks that were promoting crime in the United States of America.
Rounds added that “South Dakota is safer because of what we’re doing down there to stop drugs from trafficking, not just into the United States, but into other countries that then move them on into our country as well.”
The 2026 race is drawing challengers. Justin McNeal, a Rapid City businessman, has announced his intention to challenge Rounds in the Republican primary election. Democrat Julian Beaudion, a Sioux Falls businessman and former state trooper, is running for his party’s nomination, and independent candidate Brian Bengs of Hot Springs has also announced a bid.
South Dakota’s primary election is June 2, and the general election is Nov. 3.