Mike Rounds, a Pierre, South Dakota-based independent insurance agent, advanced to that state’s 2002 gubernatorial general election when he ousted two heavily financed Republican opponents in the primary runoff Tuesday of this week.
Rounds, 47, a partner with Fischer, Rounds & Associates, Inc., an insurance and real estate agency with offices in Pierre, Mitchell and Rapid City, is a member of the South Dakota Association of Insurance Agents and the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA). Prior to his run for the governor’s post, Rounds served as a state senator for 10 years and senate majority leader for six years.
Rounds spent less than $200,000 on his campaign, while chief Republican primary competitors Lt. Gov. Steve Kirby and state Attorney General Mark Barnett, spent in excess of $2.5 million and $1.7 million, respectively.
With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Rounds had 45 percent of the vote, Barnett 29 percent and Kirby 26 percent.
Rounds is vying to replace Republican Gov. William J. Janklow, South Dakota’s governor for 16 of the past 24 years, who cannot run for reelection because of term limit laws. Janklow won the Republican primary for the state’s open at-large House seat. Rounds will face Democrat Jim Abbott, president of the University of South Dakota, in the general election in November. Republicans have won the past six elections for governor in the state.
“It has been very rewarding to see all the support from the small-town independent agents across this state,” said Rounds of the support he has received from his colleagues.
“The way we ran our campaign this time is how we will run our campaign in the general election. We will keep it positive and focus on how to make a great state even better,” said Rounds, looking ahead to the general election campaign.
“Mike Rounds is an outstanding leader, as evidence by his track record in promoting and preserving a healthy business and insurance climate in South Dakota while serving as senate majority leader,” said Wesley Bissett, IIABA vice president of state relations and state government affairs. His ascension to the governorship would be an outstanding choice for South Dakota voters.”
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