The sad news comes of the passing of Rolly Samp, this Tuesday in Sioux Falls at the age of 82.…
Longtime SD reporter Tom Lawrence passes on
The news came last week of the passing of Tom Lawrence, a longtime reporter who spent the bulk of his…
Farewell to Stan Adelstein
The news comes that Stanford M. Adelstein, 94, passed away on Monday, August 10. Stan was a fixture in the…
Steve McCleerey is Dan Ahlers’ running mate
Today, in a filling with the Secretary of State’s office, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Dan Ahlers designated Steven D. McCleerey of…
Kristi Noem statue and portrait unveiled
Kristi Noem, the 33rd Governor of South Dakota, was honored in Pierre today, as her statue was added to Pierre’s…
Lauck to lead Center for Western Studies
The news broke yesterday in The Dakota Scout that Jon Lauck, a historian, attorney, and longtime advisor to U.S. Senator…
Rhoden wins Republican nod in first-ever runoff
Governor Larry Rhoden won the Republican nomination for governor on Tuesday, winning the state’s first-ever statewide runoff. Rhoden prevailed with…
T. Denny Sanford, SD’s greatest philanthropist, dies
T. Denny Sanford, the billionaire owner of First PREMIER Bank and PREMIER Bankcard, and the most prolific philanthropist in South…
Former State Treasurer Dave Volk dies at 79
Former South Dakota State Treasurer Dave Volk, the longest-serving treasurer in state history and a prominent figure in state government…
Doeden and Rhoden to face off in first-ever gubernatorial runoff, as Rounds and Jackley cruise
Tuesday’s primary election ended without a winner in the hard-fought Republican nomination contest. A July 28 runoff now looms between…
Joe Barnett passed SD’s runoff law in 1985
The 2026 Republican gubernatorial primary has brought renewed attention to South Dakota’s runoff law. Four candidates are competing for the…
Trail of Governors to add Kristi Noem
Update: The unveiling of Noem’s statue has been postponed to Friday, August 7 to accommodate her schedule as U.S. Special…
Sandy Rhoden joins First Lady Gown Collection
A longstanding feature of the South Dakota State Capitol is the “First Lady Gown Collection.” The collection, which was created…
Democrat Dan Ahlers to launch gubernatorial bid
Dan Ahlers, a former state legislator and the executive director of the South Dakota Democratic Party, announced plans today to…
Don Barnett, mayor during RC flood, dies
The sad news comes this week of the passing of Don Barnett, on January 12, aged 83. Barnett was a…
Frank Brost, chief of staff to two governors, dies at 88
The sad news comes today of the passing of Frank Brost. Brost never served in elected office, but he was…
Harvey Krautschun, former house speaker, passes on
The new year brings the sad news that former House Speaker Harvey Krautschun of Spearfish has died, age 76. Krautschun,…
South Dakota History in 2025
As the year comes to a close, we think back on the year that was. It was a historic year…
Farewell to Orv Smidt
The holiday weeks brings news of the passing of Orville B. “Orv” Smidt, who died on December 23, aged 82.…
Governor Rhoden launches reelection bid
Governor Larry Rhoden made it official this week. In events at Rapid City’s historic Alex Johnson Hotel, and at the…
South Dakota was Cheney’s “undisclosed location”
The news comes of the passing of Vice President Dick Cheney at the age of 84. For Cheney, South Dakota…
“Perpich,” a Minnesota history, offers much for South Dakotans
South Dakotans, especially those of us east river, have always paid attention to Minnesota. We travel there for shopping, ballgames,…
Lady Thatcher at 100
Today, October 13, 2025, is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Margaret Thatcher. The daughter of a grocer and…
Walter Dale Miller at 100
Walter Dale Miller, the 29th Governor of South Dakota, was born October 5, 1925 in the unincorporated community of Viewfield…
Charles Droz, former House Speaker, dies at 101
Charles Droz, a World War II veteran and former speaker of the SD State House of Representatives, died on July…
Remembering Karen Soli
Karen Soli, a Lutheran minister who served in the State House from 2013-18, passed away last week after a battle…
ChatGPT sums up every SD Governor
Peter Robinson of the Hoover Institute hosts an interview program called “Uncommon Knowledge.” He often credits Clare Booth Luce for…
Rep. Richard Vasgaard dies in farm accident
Richard Vasgaard, a second-term Republican state representative from Turner County, died yesterday in a farming accident. As I said online,…
Former legislator profiles added to LRC site
The Legislative Research Council, for years, has maintained the Legislator Historical Listing, which is a searchable database of every person…
Farewell to Mike Diedrich
The sad news comes today that Mike Diedrich, a former state senator from Rapid City, has died after a battle…
New “Running Mates” podcast focuses on U.S. Presidential Elections
Today is launch day for “Running Mates,” a limited-series podcast presented by Dakota Town Hall and featuring Town Hall host…
Dusty runs for Governor
Congressman Dusty Johnson announced today that he will seek the Republican nomination to be the 35th Governor of South Dakota.…
South Dakota Law Review highlights the SD State Legislature
Volume 70, Issue 3 of The South Dakota Law Review is out. Prompted by the South Dakota State Legislature’s 100th session,…
Farewell to Mac McCracken
The sad news comes that Royal “Mac” McCracken died late last week, aged 83. McCracken was an eight-year state senator…
First Democrat files for gubernatorial bid
The first Democratic candidate has created a campaign committee to run for Governor in 2026. Robert Arnold, a 19-year-old student…
Toby Doeden announces candidacy for governor
Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden announced today that he will seek the Republican nomination for governor in 2026. He is the…
Jon Hansen launches 2026 gubernatorial bid
House Speaker Jon Hansen, a state representative from Dell Rapids, announced yesterday afternoon that he will be a candidate for…
Address in honor of the 100th Legislative Session
It was this blogger’s honor to chair the planning committee for the commemorations of the 100th Legislative Session. In that…
Termesphere unveiled to commemorate 100th Legislative Session
Over the past several months, state legislators have celebrated the milestone of the 100th Legislative Session, which concluded in late…
New book celebrates 100th Legislative Session
This weekend, current and former legislators will gather for an all-legislator reunion in Pierre, a celebration that is the culmination…
Rhoden picks Tony Venhuizen for LG
Note: I find myself in the awkward position of writing a historical blog post about myself. I am just going…
Mackenzie Decker to be second female chief of staff
Governor Larry Rhoden, who took office on Saturday upon the resignation of Governor Kristi Noem, has announced his appointment of…
Governor Noem’s resignation letter
Governor Kristi Noem resigned today, shortly after being confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. Her resignation makes Lt. Governor…
Larry Rhoden is the 34th Governor of South Dakota
It’s Official: Larry R. Rhoden, a Union Center rancher and legislative veteran who has served for six years as lieutenant…
Kristi Noem rides off
Governor Kristi Noem’s confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security was this morning, and the nearly three-hour…
100th Legislative Session celebrates milestones
This Tuesday, January 14, 2025 marks the first day of the 100th Session of the South Dakota State Legislature. South…
South Dakota History in 2024
As the year comes to a close, we think back on the year that was. It was a historic year…
Jimmy Carter 1924-2024
James Earl Carter Jr., the 39th President of the United States, has died. Known always as “Jimmy,” the Georgia governor…
Arnold M. Brown, former president pro tempore, passes on
The sad news comes that Arnold M. Brown died this week, aged 93. Brown was a 12-year legislator from Brookings…
SD Legislature sees big shift in occupations from 1973-2023
South Dakota is proud to have a part-time, citizen legislature. Legislators meet in Pierre for a few weeks each winter,…
SoDak Governors 