Larry Rhoden

Larry Rhoden (born February 5, 1959) is an American politician and businessman serving as the 39th lieutenant governor of South Dakota since 2019. A Republican, he served as a member of the state house of representatives from 2001 to 2009 and later from 2017 to 2019, and as a member of the state senate from 2009 to 2015. Rhoden was an unsuccessful candidate for U.S. Senate in the 2014 election, where he ran as a conservative opponent in the Republican primary to eventual winner Mike Rounds. Early life Rhoden was born and raised on a farm and grew up attending church. After graduating high school, he served in the South Dakota National Guard from 1978 to 1985, carrying on a family legacy of military service that began in the Revolutionary War. While his children were young, he served as a church trustee and earned a seat on the local school board, and led the Board of Directors for the Cenex area. He graduated from Sunshine Bible Academy in 1977. Career Rhoden served in the South Dakota House of Representatives from 2001 to 2008, spending four years as majority leader. After being term-limited, Rhoden was elected to the state senate. In 2010, Rhoden ran for senate majority leader, but lost to Russell Olson.