The news comes of the passing of Gordon Mydland, a former South Dakota attorney general and circuit court judge. Mydland, who turned 100 earlier this year, served in the State Senate from 1963-68, as attorney general from 1969-73, and as circuit court judge from 1973 until his retirement in 1987.
Mydland was also a candidate for U.S. Senate in 1972, seeking to replace fellow Republican Karl Mundt, who retired after four terms having suffered a debilitating stroke. Mydland finished second in a five-way Republican primary with 22.3% to Robert W. Hirsch, who won 27.4%, and ahead 22.0% for Chuck Lien, 16.6% for Kenneth Stofferahn, and 11.6% for Tom Reardon. As no candidate won 35%, the nomination was made at the State Republican Convention, which followed the voters’ preference and nominated Hirsch. Hirsch lost the general election to Democratic Congressman Jim Abourezk.
On a personal note, Gordon Mydland was a good friend of my grandfather, Henry A. Poppen. Both were Kingsbury County natives and were born in 1922 – Grandpa Poppen growing up near Spirit Lake and attending Willow Lake High School, while Mydland graduated from Lake Preston High School. The two also served together in the State Senate in 1966-67, representing neighboring districts, and I met Mydland several times while visiting my grandfather in De Smet. (That State Senate also included notables including Hirsch, Jim Abdnor, Bill Grams, Dr. Bob Bartron, Bill Hustead, Herb Heidepriem, Art Jones, and Richard F. Kneip.)
Mydland’s full obituary can be read here. Flags flew half-staff at the State Capitol on Tuesday in his honor.
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