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Mike Rounds

RepublicanMike Rounds

U.S. Senator · South Dakota

RepublicanFederal

U.S. Senator from South Dakota

10 tracked promises, 3 rated

South Dakota

South Dakota

Represents South Dakota statewide

88/100
Trust rating
Strongly keeps promises
88
0 · Broken50 · Mixed100 · Kept
A transparent rescale of the Integrity Score (+75) to 0–100, aggregated from 3 rated promises. Never an opaque single score.
How this is calculated →

How they won their seat

Mike Rounds won the 2020 U.S. Senate election in South Dakota with 65.7% of the vote (276,232 votes).

65.7%
Win share
276,232
Votes for winner
420,219
Total cast
  • Mike Rounds · Republican65.7%
  • Dan Ahlers · Democrat34.3%

Certified results. Source: MIT Election Data + Science Lab (MEDSL) ↗. A plurality winner can hold under 50% when more than two candidates run.

Inferred legislative agendas

Mike Rounds has a pattern of sponsoring legislation including national defense, artificial intelligence, and small business access to capital. Notable bills include the Dismemberment Abortion Ban Act and the Life at Conception Act, including abortion-related legislation. His committee memberships further emphasize his involvement in banking, housing, and military affairs. Focus areas (from the record): National Defense · Artificial Intelligence · Small Business · Abortion · Housing Alignment with declared positions: Mixed. There is alignment between Rounds' sponsored bills and declared positions on national defense and artificial intelligence, as seen in his commitment to the National Defense Authorization Act and multiple AI-related bills. However, while he has declared intentions regarding housing and small business, evidence of legislative action in these areas is not as pronounced. What this can't tell you: The record does not reveal the effectiveness of the sponsored bills or their impact on constituents; There is no information on the politician's statements or public communications that could provide additional context; The record does not indicate the extent of collaboration with other legislators or the influence of external factors on his legislative priorities. Confidence: moderate (based on the volume of verified record on file).

Inferred, not stated. Mike Rounds has not necessarily stated these as goals. This is an AI-generated, nonpartisan reading of the patterns in their verified record — sponsored legislation, committee work, roll-call votes, and campaign-finance composition — and how those patterns compare to any declared positions and tracked promises. It describes what the record emphasizes, never imputes motive, and is run through an adversarial review pass that scrubs bias, loaded language, and any claim the evidence doesn’t support. It is not a quote, a claim they made, or a rating; every underlying item is sourced in the verified record below; and it never affects the Integrity Score.

Showing 2015–2021 term. Every tile and chart below reflects this window; some record types (e.g. roll-call votes) only have data for recent years.

Activity in office

What Mike Rounds has actually done in office — sourced from official roll-call and government records, shown in full below. These are facts, separate from tracked promises and never folded into any score.

Bills sponsored
114

Roll-call data last updated July 20, 2026 · source: Voteview.

Bills sponsored over time

114bills sponsored
114 awaiting status
013253850Bills2015: 10 awaiting status1020152016: 16 awaiting status1620162017: 28 awaiting status2820172018: 20 awaiting status2020182019: 21 awaiting status2120192020: 19 awaiting status192020

Bills sponsored per year, stacked by outcome (latest action). Outcome data covers the 118th–119th Congresses; earlier years show as “awaiting status” until enriched. Source: Congress.gov.

Bill success rate

0%
0 of 0 sponsored bills became law

Bills SPONSORED in the 118th–119th Congresses, by their latest action. Source: Congress.gov.

Campaign finance over time

$0
Cash on hand · 2026
$4.0M
Raised, 20222026
RaisedSpentCash on hand
$0$1.3M$2.5M$3.8M$5M2022: raised $253K2022: spent $538K20222024: raised $1.1M2024: spent $612K20242026: raised $2.6M2026: spent $1.9M20262022: cash on hand $02024: cash on hand $02026: cash on hand $0
Where the money came from · 2026
Small-dollar (unitemized): $33K (1%)Large individual (itemized): $1.1M (49%)49%PAC / committee: $1.1M (50%)50%
  • Small-dollar (unitemized)$33K1%
  • Large individual (itemized)$1.1M49%
  • PAC / committee$1.1M50%

By election cycle. Source: FEC.

Committee memberships

Source: Congress.gov.

Integrity

Promises kept vs. worked against — weighted breakdown

+75 · based on 3 rated promises

  • Championed 3

Teal segments are promises kept; amber and stone segments are promises worked against. The signed score weights each rated promise by significance and evidence confidence. Promise-keeping is shown separately from popularity, finance, disclosure, and stated positions. Methodology is open.

Integrity over time

In office since Jan 2015 · 3 rated promises

Each step is a real change in the sourced record — the score holds between assessments.

−100 worked against0+100 kept

Promise status over time

How the tracked promise record has evolved.

3 tracked
  • Kept3
  • Against0
  • No opportunity0
  • In progress0
0123Jul 2026Jul 2026

Replayed from this official’s sourced assessment history — the bands step only when an assessment is recorded or changed. Based on the most recent roll-call votes on file and the tracked promise assessments; never interpolated.

Not yet scoredNot yet rated 7— tracked, but not counted toward Integrity

Topic coverage

10 promises across 9 topics

What this record covers — the number of tracked promises per topic. This is coverage, not a verdict; the kept/against shading within each bar mirrors the Integrity breakdown above.

  • Abortion2
  • Artificial Intelligence1
  • Election Integrity1
  • Housing1
  • National Defense1
  • National Security / Trade1
  • Science / Research1
  • Small Business / Finance1
  • Transportation / Rural1
Kept Worked against No opportunity / not yet scored

Evidence & significance

Evidence quality

Strongest source cited per promise.

  • Primary (official record)10100%

Significance mix

How weighty the tracked promises are (1 = minor, 5 = defining).

10
21
33
46
50

Significance weights each promise in the Integrity Score.

Tracked promises

10 tracked promises

Not yet rated

Rounds committed to enact the Dismemberment Abortion Ban Act, which would make performing a dilation-and-evacuation abortion a federal crime punishable by fines and up to two years in prison.

AbortionSpecific · measurablePromised Jun 2026
Sourceshttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-hyde-smith-lead-legislation-to-ban-barbaric-abortion-procedures
Not yet rated

Rounds committed to lead the Life at Conception Act in the Senate, legislation to legally recognize a constitutional right to life for unborn human beings from the moment of conception by extending 14th Amendment protections.

AbortionSpecific · measurablePromised Jan 2026
Sourceshttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-introduces-the-life-at-conception-act
Not yet rated

Rounds pledged to support the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections.

Election IntegritySpecific · measurablePromised Jan 2026
Sourceshttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-joins-lee-and-roy-on-save-act-to-secure-federal-elections
Not yet rated

Rounds committed to pass the Stop Stealing our Chips Act, creating a whistleblower incentive program at the Bureau of Industry and Security to strengthen export-control enforcement and prevent the smuggling of American semiconductors into China.

National Security / TradeSpecific · measurablePromised Apr 2025
Sourceshttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-introduces-legislation-to-prevent-smuggling-of-american-ai-chips-into-china
Championedhigh confidence

Rounds committed to continue working with colleagues to study artificial intelligence and enact policies to support its growth and mitigate its risks, introducing a package of five AI bills toward that end.

Artificial IntelligenceSpecific · measurablePromised Aug 2024
Sourceshttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-introduces-artificial-intelligence-policy-packagehttps://fedscoop.com/senate-bill-ai-workforce-commission-act-warner-rounds/https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-reintroduces-legislation-supporting-ai-innovation-in-financial-serviceshttps://www.booker.senate.gov/news/press/booker-rounds-heinrich-lieu-and-obernolte-reintroduce-bipartisan-ai-grand-challenges-act
Championedhigh confidence

Rounds committed to work to pass the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act through the Senate and House and get it signed into law, keeping the U.S. military ahead of near-peer adversaries such as China and Russia.

National DefenseSpecific · measurablePromised Jun 2024
Sourceshttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-secures-national-defense-victories-in-fiscal-year-2025-ndaa-passed-by-committeehttps://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/IN12405.htmlhttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-secures-south-dakota-victories-in-fy25-ndaa
Not yet rated

Rounds committed to advance legislation modernizing federal securities law (raising the SEC private-fund-adviser registration threshold) to expand small businesses' and entrepreneurs' access to capital.

Small Business / FinancePromised Mar 2026
Sourceshttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-introduces-legislation-to-expand-access-to-capital-for-small-businesses
Not yet rated

Rounds committed to advance the Whole-Home Repairs Act to provide home-repair assistance to low- and moderate-income homeowners and local landlords.

HousingPromised Jan 2025
Sourceshttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-colleagues-lead-legislation-to-combat-housing-crisis
Championedhigh confidence

As co-founder of the American Science Acceleration Project (ASAP), Rounds committed to a national initiative to make American science ten times faster by 2030 by building a 'superhighway for science.'

Science / Research
Sourceshttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/ASAPhttps://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-rounds-seeking-public-input-on-initiative-to-accelerate-advancements-in-american-science-asap
Not yet rated

Rounds committed to advance the Investments in Rural Transit Act to support rural transit operators facing rising operating costs, regulatory burdens, and difficulty procuring new vehicles.

Transportation / RuralPromised Mar 2026
Sourceshttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-introduces-legislation-to-support-rural-transit

Verified record

255 sponsored bills · finance on file

Facts imported directly from official government sources — shown separately from tracked promises and never folded into the Integrity Score. Each entry links to its primary source.

Campaign financeas of May 13, 2026

FEC 2026 cycle — raised $3,983,663, spent $3,008,909, cash on hand $0.

View the FEC filing ↗

Voting record

Total votes
858
Yea
624
Nay
226
Present
0
Not voting
8

Full voting record

858 votes
  • PN8518Yea
  • PN9304Yea
  • PN9304Yea
  • PN9382Yea
  • PN9303Yea
  • PN9382Yea
  • PN9303Yea
  • PN9302Yea
  • PN9302Yea
  • PN9307Yea
  • PN9307Yea
  • PN8593Yea
  • PN73033Yea
120 of 858
Page 1 / 43

Roll-call votes, 119th Congress. Source: Voteview (voteview.com). Click any vote to verify it independently.

Stated positions

9 positions on record

What this official says they believe — sourced claims, shown distinctly from tracked promises and from any assessment of what they did. A stated position is never scored and never affects the Integrity Score.

  • Science / ResearchStated position

    As co-founder of the American Science Acceleration Project (ASAP), Rounds committed to a national initiative to make American science ten times faster by 2030 by building a 'superhighway for science.'

    Sourceshttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/ASAP
    View position & sources →
  • Small Business / FinanceStated position

    Rounds committed to advance legislation modernizing federal securities law (raising the SEC private-fund-adviser registration threshold) to expand small businesses' and entrepreneurs' access to capital.

    Sourceshttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-introduces-legislation-to-expand-access-to-capital-for-small-businesses
    View position & sources →
  • Transportation / RuralStated position

    Rounds committed to advance the Investments in Rural Transit Act to support rural transit operators facing rising operating costs, regulatory burdens, and difficulty procuring new vehicles.

    Sourceshttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-introduces-legislation-to-support-rural-transit
    View position & sources →
  • AbortionStated position

    Rounds committed to enact the Dismemberment Abortion Ban Act, which would make performing a dilation-and-evacuation abortion a federal crime punishable by fines and up to two years in prison.

    Sourceshttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-introduces-the-life-at-conception-act
    View position & sources →
  • Election IntegrityStated position

    Rounds pledged to support the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections.

    Sourceshttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-joins-lee-and-roy-on-save-act-to-secure-federal-elections
    View position & sources →
  • National Security / TradeStated position

    Rounds committed to pass the Stop Stealing our Chips Act, creating a whistleblower incentive program at the Bureau of Industry and Security to strengthen export-control enforcement and prevent the smuggling of American semiconductors into China.

    Sourceshttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-introduces-legislation-to-prevent-smuggling-of-american-ai-chips-into-china
    View position & sources →
  • HousingStated position

    Rounds committed to advance the Whole-Home Repairs Act to provide home-repair assistance to low- and moderate-income homeowners and local landlords.

    Sourceshttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-colleagues-lead-legislation-to-combat-housing-crisis
    View position & sources →
  • Artificial IntelligenceStated position

    Rounds committed to continue working with colleagues to study artificial intelligence and enact policies to support its growth and mitigate its risks, introducing a package of five AI bills toward that end.

    Sourceshttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-introduces-artificial-intelligence-policy-package
    View position & sources →
  • National DefenseStated position

    Rounds committed to work to pass the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act through the Senate and House and get it signed into law, keeping the U.S. military ahead of near-peer adversaries such as China and Russia.

    Sourceshttps://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-secures-national-defense-victories-in-fiscal-year-2025-ndaa-passed-by-committee
    View position & sources →
Disclosure
No undisclosed priorities on record

Disclosure

A separate measure from the promise scorecard above. It tracks confirmed cases where this official has acted on or championed an issue that already existed when they ran, but which they did not disclose as a priority in their campaign. Each case meets a high evidence bar — three independent sources — and the score is shown alongside the Integrity Score, never merged into it. How this is measured.

No undisclosed priorities on record. This is not a clean-audit claim — it means none have been confirmed for this official.

Office context & community edits
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