Rounds, Mike (1954-…), became a United States senator in 2015. Rounds, a Republican , represents South Dakota . Prior to his election to the Senate, Rounds had served as South Dakota’s governor and as a partner of a real estate and insurance firm.
Marion Michael Rounds was born in Huron, South Dakota, on Oct. 24, 1954. The eldest of 11 siblings, Rounds grew up in Pierre, the state capital. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from South Dakota State University in 1977. In 1982, he helped found the insurance and real estate firm Fischer Rounds & Associates.
In 1990, Rounds was elected to the first of five terms in the South Dakota Senate. In 2002, he won the state’s election for governor. He was reelected in 2006. Rounds enjoyed widespread popularity as governor. He worked to increase educational opportunities and encouraged the development of a laboratory on the former site of the famous Homestake mine. He also became known for his conservative positions on such issues as abortion, government spending, gun control, and same-sex marriage.
After leaving the governorship in 2011, Rounds returned to his insurance and real estate firm. In 2014, he won the Republican nomination for a U.S. Senate seat and coasted to victory in the general election. He won reelection in 2020. As a senator, Rounds has served on the committees on armed services; banking, housing, and urban affairs; environment and public works; and veterans’ affairs.
