Mike Rounds

Democratic Platform

Democrats support progressive taxation, with higher rates on top earners and corporations to fund public investment. The party favors raising the minimum wage, strengthening unions, and expanding worker protections. Democrats generally support government investment in infrastructure, education, and social programs as drivers of broad economic growth.

Mike Rounds

Senator Rounds supports lower taxes, reduced federal spending, and deregulation as the primary drivers of economic growth. He voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (2017) and has been a consistent advocate for South Dakota's agricultural sector, backing farm bill provisions important to the state's ranchers and crop producers.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans favor lower taxes across income levels, with particular emphasis on cutting corporate and capital gains taxes to stimulate investment and job creation. The party supports deregulation, reduced government spending, and free market solutions over federal programs as the primary engine of prosperity.

Democratic Platform

Democrats support expanding access to affordable healthcare, including protecting the Affordable Care Act and moving toward a public option or expanded Medicare coverage. The party broadly favors government negotiation of prescription drug prices and opposes removing protections for pre-existing conditions.

Mike Rounds

Senator Rounds has opposed the Affordable Care Act and supports replacing it with market-based reforms. He favors expanded health savings accounts and reducing federal coverage mandates he argues drive up costs. He has also engaged on rural healthcare access, a significant issue for South Dakota's sparse and aging population.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans have generally sought to repeal or significantly reform the Affordable Care Act, favoring market-based solutions. The party supports expanding health savings accounts, increasing competition among insurers across state lines, and reducing federal mandates on coverage requirements.

Democratic Platform

Democrats generally support pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, including DACA recipients, and favor comprehensive immigration reform. The party supports increased resources for legal immigration processing and a humanitarian approach to asylum seekers at the border.

Mike Rounds

Senator Rounds supports strong border security and enforcement-first approaches to immigration. He backs completion of physical border barriers and stricter enforcement of existing immigration law, and has called for agricultural worker visa reform to address South Dakota's seasonal labor needs through legal channels.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans prioritize border security and strict enforcement of existing immigration law. The party broadly supports completing physical border barriers, ending policies they view as incentivizing illegal entry, and reforming legal immigration to favor applicants with marketable skills.

Democratic Platform

Democrats favor robust federal investment in public K-12 education and higher education, along with policies to reduce or eliminate student loan debt. The party generally opposes using public funds for private school vouchers and supports universal pre-K and affordable childcare.

Mike Rounds

Senator Rounds supports school choice and local control over education, opposing federal curriculum mandates he argues undermine parental rights and community decision-making. He has backed workforce training programs that connect South Dakotans to jobs in agriculture, manufacturing, and technology.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans support school choice, including voucher programs for private and religious schools, and local control over curriculum decisions. The party generally opposes federal education mandates and broadly supports parental rights in schooling. Many Republicans oppose student loan forgiveness as unfair to borrowers who repaid their loans.

Democratic Platform

Democrats broadly support stricter gun safety measures, including universal background checks, red flag laws, and restrictions on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. The party frames these regulations as consistent with the Second Amendment and necessary to reduce mass shootings.

Mike Rounds

Senator Rounds is a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights and has opposed new gun control legislation. He argues that enforcing existing laws and addressing mental health are the appropriate responses to gun violence, and defends the rights of South Dakota's substantial hunting and ranching population to own and use firearms.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans strongly defend Second Amendment rights and generally oppose new gun control legislation, arguing that existing laws should be enforced more effectively. The party emphasizes mental health intervention, the right to self-defense, and opposes what they view as infringement on law-abiding gun owners.

Democratic Platform

Democrats view climate change as an urgent crisis requiring immediate government action. The party supports transitioning to clean energy through federal investment and regulation, reducing carbon emissions across the economy, and meeting international climate commitments. Democrats generally oppose expanding fossil fuel development on public lands.

Mike Rounds

Senator Rounds supports South Dakota's energy production, including wind energy — the state generates a large share of its electricity from wind — alongside conventional energy sources. He opposes aggressive federal climate mandates he argues raise costs and harm South Dakota's agricultural economy, and supports market-driven approaches to energy transition.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans emphasize American energy independence through domestic production of oil, gas, and coal alongside renewable development. Many in the party are skeptical of aggressive climate regulations they argue harm economic growth and jobs. Republicans generally prefer market-based energy solutions over government mandates and oppose restrictions that raise energy costs for families.

Democratic Platform

Democrats generally support a multilateral approach to foreign policy, emphasizing alliances, international institutions, and diplomacy as the first line of engagement. The party broadly supports maintaining NATO commitments, providing aid to democratic allies, and engaging international bodies to address shared challenges.

Mike Rounds

Senator Rounds, who sits on the Armed Services Committee, is a strong supporter of the U.S. military and has been a consistent backer of robust defense spending. He supported military assistance for Ukraine and Taiwan and supports maintaining U.S. alliances as a foundation of American security.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans emphasize American sovereignty, a strong military as a deterrent, and bilateral relationships over multilateral institutions. The party broadly supports robust defense spending and is skeptical of international agreements they view as constraining American action or requiring open-ended foreign commitments.

Democratic Platform

Democrats oppose cuts to Social Security or Medicare benefits and support expanding both programs. The party generally favors raising the Social Security payroll tax cap on high earners to ensure long-term solvency and opposes any form of privatization.

Mike Rounds

Senator Rounds has expressed support for structural reforms to ensure Social Security's long-term solvency and has been one of the more engaged Republican senators on the issue. He opposes tax increases as the primary solution and has discussed potential adjustments aimed at younger workers while protecting benefits for current and near-term retirees.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans support reforming Social Security and Medicare to ensure long-term fiscal solvency, which some in the party argue requires adjusting benefits or eligibility ages. The party opposes tax increases to fund the programs and some members have supported personal investment account options.

Democratic Platform

Democrats broadly support criminal justice reform, including reducing mandatory minimum sentences, addressing racial disparities in policing and incarceration, and investing in community-based alternatives. The party generally supports police accountability measures and evidence-based approaches to reducing recidivism.

Mike Rounds

Senator Rounds supports law enforcement and has focused on combating drug trafficking, particularly methamphetamine and fentanyl, as South Dakota's primary criminal justice challenge. He has backed increased resources for tribal law enforcement and addressing drug-related crime in Native American communities.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans emphasize law and order, strong support for law enforcement, and tough penalties for crime. The party generally opposes reducing mandatory minimum sentences for violent offenses and supports prosecutors pursuing strong sentences. Republicans broadly oppose policies they view as undermining police authority or creating leniency for criminals.