South Dakota Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden may soon have to drop the word “lieutenant” from his current title.

Kristi Noem, the state’s current governor, is currently expected to take a position in President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

This after CNN and the Washington Post cited anonymous sources close to the Trump campaign who allegedly leaked the secretary’s choice. But Trump’s transition team declined to comment on the matter Tuesday morning.

If Noem is indeed rewarded for her long-standing support of Trump, the question remains whether she will have to resign as governor.

What is perhaps clearer is the fact that Rhoden will succeed in becoming full governor of the state if Noem resigns from office.

Here’s what you need to know about South Dakota’s potential 34th governor.

Who is Larry Rhoden, Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota?

Rhoden is the 39th lieutenant governor of South Dakota. He is currently serving his second consecutive term as Noem’s lieutenant governor after being sworn in on January 5, 2019, following their successful first campaign.

Rhoden is a lifelong resident of South Dakota and currently lives in Union Center, a small rural community in Meade County where he runs a livestock operation.

Before becoming lieutenant governor, Rhoden served four terms as a state representative in the South Dakota Legislature, from 2001 to 2008.

Rhoden then switched chambers to join the South Dakota Senate, where he held a seat from 2009 to 2014.

His streak of legislative victories ended, however, in 2014, after former two-term governor and now U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds defeated Rhoden in that year’s Republican primary.

Rhoden returned to the South Dakota legislature in 2017, after winning his district’s seat in the State House, where he was named Majority Whip. He planned to run again in 2018, but he withdrew from the race after being chosen as Noem’s running mate, according to previous report from Argus Leader.

According to his biography page on the governor’s office website, Rhoden served six years in the South Dakota National Guard after graduating from high school.

Rhoden also serves as South Dakota’s Agricultural Ambassador. In 2023, he joined forces with the state’s Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hunter Roberts, and other industry representatives. led a delegation to Mexico strengthen trade relations with the country. Rhoden led a similar trade mission to Japan and Taiwan in June 2024, according to South Dakota Public Broadcasting.

Should Kristi Noem resign if selected to lead DHS?

Nothing prevents Noem from handling both the role of DHS secretary and South Dakota governor in terms of federal law, but state law could pose its own limitations.

The South Dakota Constitution provides a succession process for governors who leave officeincluding in cases of “continuous absence from the State”.

If the governor is found to be continually absent — a designation that would be determined by Supreme Court justices — the governor’s executive powers would transfer to the lieutenant governor.

If Rhoden assumes Noem’s role, he would have the opportunity to appoint his own lieutenant governor, who would take office. if confirmed by a majority vote of all members of both legislative houses.

Rhoden would also have at least one year of experience in the role under his belt, as he is expected to serve out the remainder of Noem’s term, which expires in early 2027. This could prepare him for a possible gubernatorial campaign in 2026.

This article was originally published on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Who is Larry Rhoden, the potential 34th governor of South Dakota?