Rhoden could be ‘steady hand’ if Noem joins Trump Cabinet

Date:

BY STU WHITNEY
South Dakota News Watch

There will be lots of history made if South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is confirmed as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security in President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, as multiple national outlets reported Tuesday.

man at podium speaking with woman standing behind him
South Dakota Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden, speaking March 13, 2024, at a town hall meeting in Mitchell, S.D., will become South Dakota's 34th governor if Kristi Noem is confirmed as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security in Donald Trump’s administration. (Photo: Stu Whitney / Argus Leader)

Noem, in her second term as Republican governor, would become the first South Dakotan to serve as a president’s Cabinet secretary, extending an alliance with Trump that first developed during her time in Congress.

It would also be the first time a South Dakota governor hands over the reins of power during a legislative session, assuming Noem waits to resign until she is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, a process set for January at the earliest.

That puts the focus on Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden, a 65-year-old Meade County rancher and legislative veteran who would be thrust into the spotlight as the state’s 34th governor.

Rhoden would also preside over a consequential 2025 legislative session fraught with budgetary battles and Republican infighting, all while potentially preparing for a 2026 gubernatorial election in which he would be the incumbent candidate.

“Having a changeover happen during the legislative session would be a first,” said Rep. Tony Venhuizen, R-Sioux Falls, Noem’s former chief of staff and a curator of South Dakota gubernatorial history.

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This story was produced by South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit news organization. Read more in-depth stories at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email every few days to get stories as soon as they're published. Contact investigative reporter Stu Whitney at stu.whitney@sdnewswatch.org.

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