The 2024 election and its aftermath has brought about many significant stories in South Dakota politics, from John Thune’s election as senate majority leader to Kristi Noem’s appointment as Secretary of Homeland Security, which will lead to Larry Rhoden taking office as the state’s 34th governor.
Many smaller milestones emerge from this election season as well. Notable among them is the end of the legislative career of State Senator Jean Hunhoff. Hunhoff, who has served in Pierre for 24 years, is the longest-serving woman in the history of the South Dakota State Legislature; in fact, no other woman has served even 20 years.
It’s a record that is unlikely to be broken anytime soon; with Hunhoff’s departure, the longest-serving woman in the 2025 legislature will be Rep. Liz May, who is entering her sixth term.
Hunhoff served in the State House from 2001-06, in the Senate from 2007-14, back in the House from 2015-20, and then again in the Senate from 2021-24. For the past 20 years, she has served on the Joint Appropriations Committee, and for 12 of those years she was in a leadership position on the committee. Hunhoff was vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee in 2007-08 and Senate Chair in 2009-10. From 2017-20, she was vice chair of the House Appropriations Committee. For the past four years, from 2021-24, she has chairs the Senate committee.
At the interim appropriations committee meeting this week, appropriators took a few moments to honor Senator Hunhoff’s service, as House Chair Mike Derby presented her with 24 roses to commemorate her 24 years in the legislature.
South Dakota Searchlight and Keloland News both had nice stories about Hunhoff this week. The Keloland story included a quote from House Appropriations Chair Mike Derby: “She’s here when I drive up to the Capitol, I look up to her office, the corner room on this floor, the light’s on, and that’s six o’clock in the morning when she gets here. Nobody works harder. She’s passionate. She cares for people. She’s got the history. And it’s just been an absolute delight to work with Senator Hunhoff.”
This blogger, in my capacity as vice chair of the House committee, was also quoted in both stories. Noting Senator Hunhoff’s longevity, I said that, “I don’t need to get into too many details, but I will say that during her first year in the Legislature, I was a Senate page.”
I also noted the long legacy of the Appropriations Committee, which relies on legislators asking tough questions and having long memories. My grandfather, Sen. Henry Poppen, served on the committee for 20 years and chaired the Senate committee for 12 years. He served with leaders who followed him, such as Jan Nicolay of Sioux Falls and Jim Putnam of Armour. Hunhoff learned from them and carried that legacy forward, and we in turn have learned from her. As I said in the meeting: “Jean has carried that forward for a quarter century. Nobody has asked more tough questions than Sen. Hunhoff.”
Postscript: On November 25, Senator Hunhoff shared the following on her Facebook page:
As we approach Thanksgiving I am so thankful for the people that have surrounded me over the past years serving as the District #18 Legislator. First is my family for their support and sacrifices for making it possible for me to be in Pierre. Many event I have missed and they have been so supportive of my efforts. To my colleagues who I have served with over the years, their mentoring, their friendship and their attitude at the end of the day as we are all in this together. The Governor’s and their staffs, though we didn’t always agree on the agendas we always parted as friends. They taught me so much about having the facts before making the recommendations or the votes. The lobbyists who learned quickly that Hunhoff needed to know she could trust what they were asking or if not they would not get far with her. Most importantly were the constituents of District #18 it was those individuals that made it possible for me to work for and with them. I learned quickly that to survive we must work to find a resolution but yet at the end of the day we leave as friends to begin a new day for working for the citizens of SD. We are blessed to live in this great state! Happy Thanksgiving to all.
SoDak Governors 