U.S. Senate · South Dakota
Sen. Mike Rounds (R)
Represents South Dakota, in office since Jan. 3, 2021. Official site
$7.72spent by the campaign for every vote cast in the 2020 general election
- This race$7.72
- SD average$13.74
- Senate average$13.91
Ranks 53 of 96 senators (1 = most spent per vote).
The 2020 race
| Candidate | Votes | Campaign spent | Per vote cast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Rounds (R), won | 276,232 (65.7%) | $3,243,914 | $7.72 |
| Daniel Ahlers (D) | 143,987 (34.3%) | No FEC report found | Not reported |
Total votes cast: 420,219. “Per vote cast” is the campaign’s total spending for that election divided by all votes cast in the race.
Tracked issue money in 2026
| Issue | Groups | Given | Bundled | Spent for | Spent against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HousingReal estate and home building | Realtors PAC (RPAC), NMHC PAC | $12,500 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Health care costsHospitals, doctors and drugmakers | AHA PAC, AMPAC, Pfizer PAC | $10,500 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| AI & data centersLighter regulation | American Mission | $0 | $0 | $229,747 | $0 |
| AI & data centersAI and tech company PACs | Microsoft PAC, Google NetPAC, AnthroPAC | $16,500 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| GunsGun rights | NRA-PVF | $3,500 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Energy & climateOil and gas industry | Chevron PAC, ConocoPhillips PAC | $12,500 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| IsraelAIPAC and allied groups | AIPAC PAC, NORPAC | $5,193 | $184,271 | $0 | $0 |
| CryptoCrypto industry | Defend American Jobs | $0 | $0 | $411,748 | $0 |
| DefenseDefense contractors | Lockheed Martin PAC, RTX PAC, General Dynamics PAC, Northrop Grumman PAC, Boeing PAC | $37,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
SD’s other senator
Results: state-certified totals (sources in How this works). Spending: FEC candidate totals for the 2020 election (as of Oct. 6, 2026). How this is calculated.