34th Governor of South Dakota
Years in Office: 2025 – present
Birth: February 5, 1959, Sturgis, South Dakota

Governor Larry Rhoden is the thirty-fourth Governor of South Dakota. He succeeded to the governor’s office on January 25, 2025 due to the resignation of Governor Kristi Noem to serve as U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security.

Rhoden was born on February 5, 1959 along with his twin sister, Lorie. He grew up on his family’s Meade County ranch and attended country schools and Sunshine Bible Academy near Miller, where he graduated in 1977.

Rhoden served in the South Dakota Army National Guard from 1979 to 1985, where he attended the non-commissioned officer academy, was a training leader, and specialized in welding.

In 1981, Rhoden married Sandy Murphy, a native of Madison. The Rhodens have four sons: Jesse, Cody, Reggie, and Tristen.

Rhoden joined his family ranch operation and also operated a custom welding business. He was active in his community, serving on the Meade County school board, the Cenex board of directors, the Farmers Home Administration county loan committee, and in leadership roles in his church. Rhoden coached baseball and softball and sang bass in a men’s quartet.

Rhoden was first elected to the State House of Representatives in 2000, serving from 2001-09. He was assistant majority leader in 2003-04 and majority leader in 2005-08. From 2009-15, Rhoden served in the State Senate. Then, after an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate in 2014, he returned to the State House in 2017-18. Rhoden was a majority whip and chaired the State Affairs committees in both the Senate and the House. As a legislator, he advocated for gun rights, for the adoption of a productivity-based valuation system for agricultural property, and led efforts to repeal the state sales tax on trucking and to declare rodeo the state sport.

Rhoden was elected lieutenant governor in 2018 on a ticket with Kristi Noem. While lieutenant governor, Rhoden was designated Governor Noem’s ag ambassador and served as interim Secretary of Agriculture. Noem and Rhoden were reelected in 2022, winning the largest number of votes for a gubernatorial ticket in state history, and Rhoden succeeded to the governor’s office upon Noem’s resignation in January 2025. Governor Rhoden appointed Tony Venhuizen, a Sioux Falls state representative, to serve as his lieutenant governor.

Taking office during the state’s 100th Legislative Session, Governor Rhoden proposed and signed legislation to deal with escalating homeowner property taxes and appointed a task force to reexamine plans for a new men’s prison after a proposal at a site in rural Lincoln County stalled. Following the legislative session, Rhoden launched a statewide “Open for Opportunity” tour, introducing himself to South Dakotans while emphasizing the many opportunities the state has to offer.

written by Tony Venhuizen