Noem’s cabinet post will make a plain-spoken rancher South Dakota’s new governor

(AP) – Lawmakers describe the man set to replace South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as a friendly, plain-spoken rancher and specialty welder who they expect to focus more on issues within the state.
Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden’s biggest — and fleeting — brush with national fame came in 2017, when he triggered a panic alarm during a hearing to test how quickly police would arrive to support his argument that people should be allowed to carry guns in the Capitol.
If the Senate confirms Noem, Rhoden would automatically become governor.
Rhoden was majority leader of the South Dakota House and served in that legislature for 16 years.
Noem described Rhoden as “direct and honest” when she named him to her ticket for governor in 2018.
Others describe the 65-year-old Rhoden as “legitimately legit, a real reflection on South Dakota and how anybody from across the country would perceive the state.”