South Dakota Famous people in government Do you know who these people are??

First Governor of the state of South Dakota When he was appointed Governor of the 40 th state in our Union (South Dakota) he worked the Register of the United States Land Office in Watertown South Dakota while South Dakota was still Dakota Territory.

Arthur C. Mellette

1972 Presidential Candidate This former US House of Representative and US Senator ran for President against Richard Nixon. Although he was defeated in one of the most one sided elections in history, he is considered to be one of the best debaters in legislative history. He was born in Avon, South Dakota and attended Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell he was very much against or Police Action in Vietnam.

George McGovern

Vice President of the United States Born in Wallace, South Dakota this person was a Vice President under Lyndon Banes Johnson. He also lost a Presidential election as a Democratic candidate against Richard Nixon. He attended college at the University of Minnesota where he moved up the political ladder as a two time elected mayor of the city on Minneapolis.

Hubert Humphrey

War Hero, 20 th Governor, 1 st AFL Commissioner This man became a leading World War II Ace Fighter and received the Medel of Honor. He later became the 20 th Governor of South Dakota. He later was the first commissioner of the old American Football League. Later in his life he created a TV show called the “The Outdoorsman” in which he was the host. This man was also very good friends with television actor icon, John Wayne. The Sioux Falls Airport is named after him.

Joe Foss

1 st Lebanese US Senator Born is Wood, SD this man became both a US House of Representative and US Senator. He was the 1 st US Senator of Lebanese descent. He ended he very promising political career by surprising South Dakotans and American citizens by choosing not to run for re-election in 1978 to spend more time with family.

James Abourezk

Senate Majority Leader Born in Aberdeen the US Senator became the forth most powerful person in succession as the Senate Majority Leader. Both a US House and Senator, he defeated long time South Dakota US Senator James Abnor to gain membership in US Senate. He was offered and turned down the cabinet position of Secretary of Health and Human Services by President Obama.

Tom Daschle

House in/Senate out This popular US Republican Senator from South Dakota was in Kennebec, South Dakota an was defeated by Tom Daschle for US Senate. He also was of Lebanese descent.

James Abnor

From Lt. Governor loss/to Janklow/to President USD His political candidate lost the governor election as Lieutenent to Bill Janklow and again lost the governorship to Tim Rounds is the current President of USD.

Jim Abbot

Lifetime South Dakota Politician Born March 29, 1942 this man was a U.S. politician from South Dakota. He served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives (1975–79) and three terms in the U.S. Senate (1979–97), losing re-election to Tim Johnson (1996). He was the first Vietnam veteran to be elected to the Senate. Born in Humboldt South Dakota he again decided to run for US Senate in the 2014 South Dakota Senate Race as an Independent in which he lost to Mike Rounds.

Larry Pressler

South Dakota Governor record holder This person who was born in Chicago but was raised in Flandreau hold the record for the longest tenure of governor in South Dakota serving 16 years in the office, 5,851 days. He is had a controversial history as governor being famous for battling hard for opportunity in South Dakota and infamous for resigning from his office of US House of Representatives due to vehicular manslaughter.

William Janklow