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 the idea that even the most significant historical figure can ultimately be summed up in a single sentence. For example, “Lincoln freed the slaves” or “Churchill saved Britain from the Nazis.”

With this in mind, this blogger asked Chat GPT 5.0 to sum up each South Dakota Governor into a single sentence. Here is its response:

• Arthur Mellette (1889–1893): Guided South Dakota through its first years of statehood.
• Charles H. Sheldon (1893–1897): Promoted populist reforms in an era of farm discontent.
• Andrew E. Lee (1897–1901): A populist reformer who challenged corporate and railroad influence.
• Charles N. Herreid (1901–1905): Oversaw the state’s progressive shift while maintaining Republican dominance.
• Samuel H. Elrod (1905–1907): Struggled with party factionalism that ended his career after one term.
• Coe I. Crawford (1907–1909): A progressive reformer who pushed direct primaries and regulatory oversight.
• Robert S. Vessey (1909–1913): Consolidated progressive reforms and stabilized state politics.
• Frank M. Byrne (1913–1917): Expanded state regulation and pushed prohibition.
• Peter Norbeck (1917–1921): Visionary leader who championed state parks and Mount Rushmore.
• William H. McMaster (1921–1925): Expanded Norbeck’s progressive reforms while navigating farm crisis.
• Carl Gunderson (1925–1927): A conservative administrator whose unpopularity doomed reelection.
• William J. Bulow (1927–1931): The first Democratic governor, remembered for honesty and fiscal caution.
• Warren E. Green (1931–1933): Grappled unsuccessfully with the onset of the Depression.
• Tom Berry (1933–1937): A New Deal Democrat who sought federal relief for drought-stricken farmers.
• Leslie Jensen (1937–1939): Presided over Depression recovery and led the Guard into WWII.
• Harlan J. Bushfield (1939–1943): A war-time governor later elected to the U.S. Senate.
• M. Q. Sharpe (1943–1947): Oversaw South Dakota during WWII’s end and postwar transition.
• George T. Mickelson (1947–1951): Expanded higher education and promoted Missouri River development.
• Sigurd Anderson (1951–1955): Championed rural electrification and consumer protection.
• Joe Foss (1955–1959): The war hero governor remembered more for his fame than his policies.
• Ralph Herseth (1959–1961): The last Democratic governor of his era, beaten by rural discontent.
• Archie Gubbrud (1961–1965): A farmer governor during a period of prosperity and moderation.
• Nils Boe (1965–1969): Modernized government administration and budgeting.
• Frank Farrar (1969–1971): A youthful reformer who pushed modernization of state government and regulation but lost reelection after one term.
• Richard Kneip (1971–1978): A personable Democrat who expanded education and economic development.
• Harvey Wollman (1978–1979): The first lieutenant governor to succeed mid-term, serving briefly.
• Bill Janklow (1979–1987; 1995–2003): The dominant figure of late-20th century South Dakota politics, known for toughness and controversy.
• George S. Mickelson (1987–1993): Championed reconciliation and economic growth before dying tragically in a plane crash.
• Walter Dale Miller (1993–1995): A caretaker governor who steadied the state after Mickelson’s death.
• Mike Rounds (2003–2011): A consensus-building governor who prioritized economic development.
• Dennis Daugaard (2011–2019): A pragmatic conservative who expanded workforce training and maintained fiscal discipline.
• Kristi Noem (2019–2025): Gained national prominence for resisting COVID-19 restrictions and cultivating a national conservative profile.
• Larry Rhoden (2025– ): A steady conservative leader focused on agriculture, fiscal restraint, and continuity in state government.

This response is unedited but it did require three followup prompts. The first was to add Governor Rhoden; ChatGPT often misses recent events unless it is prompted to research them. The second was a misstatement about Governor Frank Farrar, claiming that he left office due to health issues. The third was a statement that Harvey Wollman was the only lieutenant governor to succeed to the governorship, rather than the first.