Mike Rounds
U.S. Senator (Republican) from South Dakota, serving since 2015
Official U.S. Congress photo (public domain)
U.S. Senator for South Dakota (Republican), in Congress since 2015. Estimated from 9 recorded votes, 8 documented positions and the Moderate Republican lane (chosen from their DW-NOMINATE voting score (+0.354, from 900 votes; Voteview)).
Political compass placement
| Map dimension | Score (0–100) | Position | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economic Collective / planned ↔ Market | 68 | toward market | |
| Social Progressive ↔ Traditional | 53 | near the center | |
| Authority Libertarian ↔ Authoritarian | 34 | toward libertarian | |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 61 | near the center | |
| Foreign policy Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 71 | toward intervention |
All nine underlying dimensions
| Dimension | Score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Economic ownership Collective ownership ↔ Private ownership | 75 | toward private ownership |
| Civil liberties Civil liberty ↔ State restrictions | 47 | near the center |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 61 | near the center |
| Social and cultural values Progressive ↔ Traditionalist | 57 | near the center |
| Political governance Democratic ↔ Autocratic | 20 | toward democratic |
| Equality and hierarchy Egalitarian ↔ Hierarchical | 62 | near the center |
| Economic management Free market ↔ State planning | 43 | near the center |
| Military intervention Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 71 | toward intervention |
| Religion and government Secular state ↔ Religious authority | 44 | near the center |
These positions are estimates on the Atlas’s nine-dimension scale, produced by running the available evidence through the same questions and scoring used for test-takers. They are interpretations for comparison, not objective measurements. How scores are made.
Key positions
| Statement | Position | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Abortion should be illegal in most or all cases. | Strongly agrees | documented |
| Opposition parties should be free to compete in elections. | Strongly agrees | party-lane estimate |
| The means of production should ultimately be owned collectively. | Strongly disagrees | party-lane estimate |
| A national religious authority should have the power to veto legislation. | Strongly disagrees | party-lane estimate |
| Central economic planning is preferable to decentralized market decisions. | Strongly disagrees | party-lane estimate |
| People should be free to criticize the government without fear of legal punishment. | Strongly agrees | party-lane estimate |
| Military power should be used proactively when serious external threats are emerging. | Agrees | documented |
| National borders should become less important over time. | Strongly disagrees | party-lane estimate |
| Class distinctions should gradually disappear. | Strongly disagrees | party-lane estimate |
| Leaders who win elections should face fewer checks from courts and the civil service. | Strongly disagrees | party-lane estimate |
Recorded votes used
| Vote | How they voted | Counts toward |
|---|---|---|
| S. 9 (cloture), Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act Senate roll 100 (2025) | Yea | Transgender women should be able to compete in women’s sports. |
| S. 6 (cloture), Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act Senate roll 11 (2025) | Yea | Abortion should be illegal in most or all cases. |
| H.R. 1, One Big Beautiful Bill Act Senate roll 372 (2025) | Yea | Cutting taxes is generally better for the economy than increasing public spending. |
| H.R. 1, One Big Beautiful Bill Act Senate roll 372 (2025) | Yea | Welfare benefits should be kept limited so that people have strong incentives to work. |
| H.J.Res. 88 (overturn California zero-emission-vehicle waiver) Senate roll 277 (2025) | Yea | The government should require a rapid shift away from fossil fuels, even at significant cost. |
| H.J.Res. 87 Senate roll 279 (2025) | Yea | The government should require a rapid shift away from fossil fuels, even at significant cost. |
| H.J.Res. 89 Senate roll 281 (2025) | Yea | The government should require a rapid shift away from fossil fuels, even at significant cost. |
| H.J.Res. 88 (overturn California zero-emission-vehicle waiver) Senate roll 277 (2025) | Yea | Environmental regulations on business should be reduced to boost economic growth. |
| H.J.Res. 87 Senate roll 279 (2025) | Yea | Environmental regulations on business should be reduced to boost economic growth. |
| H.J.Res. 89 Senate roll 281 (2025) | Yea | Environmental regulations on business should be reduced to boost economic growth. |
| H.J.Res. 35 (overturn EPA methane-emissions fee rule) Senate roll 97 (2025) | Yea | Environmental regulations on business should be reduced to boost economic growth. |
| S.J.Res. 28 (overturn CFPB rule on large payment apps) Senate roll 106 (2025) | Yea | Regulations on business should be minimized whenever possible. |
| S.J.Res. 18 (overturn CFPB overdraft-fee rule) Senate roll 153 (2025) | Yea | Regulations on business should be minimized whenever possible. |
| S.J.Res. 37 (end the emergency behind tariffs on Canada) Senate roll 160 (2025) | Nay | Tariffs can be justified to protect domestic industries. |
| S.J.Res. 49 (end the emergency behind worldwide tariffs) Senate roll 225 (2025) | Nay | Tariffs can be justified to protect domestic industries. |
| S.J.Res. 37 (end the emergency behind tariffs on Canada) Senate roll 160 (2025) | Nay | Trade policy should prioritize consumer choice over domestic industrial protection. |
| S.J.Res. 49 (end the emergency behind worldwide tariffs) Senate roll 225 (2025) | Nay | Trade policy should prioritize consumer choice over domestic industrial protection. |
Votes from the official House Clerk and Senate roll-call records.
Checked against their own statements
- H.R. 1: "It delivers the largest tax cut for the working class in American history" (2025-07-01) source
- H.R. 4, Rescissions: Spoke about rural radio and a deal to redirect "Green New Deal money" to tribal stations; "I had concerns specifically about the impact on these radio stations that are in rural areas" (2025-07-15) source
Documented positions
- Abortion should be illegal in most or all cases.: Voted to protect infants who survive abortions. source
- Law-abiding adults should have a broad right to own firearms.: Supports concealed-carry reciprocity across state lines. source
- Immigrants who have lived in the country for years without legal status should be allowed to stay permanently.: Favors border security first, then a limited path to citizenship. source
- Cutting taxes is generally better for the economy than increasing public spending.: Wants to keep the Trump tax cuts and slow mandatory spending. source
- Tariffs can be justified to protect domestic industries.: Hopes the tariffs lead to negotiated trade deals. source
- Military power should be used proactively when serious external threats are emerging.: Says the strikes on Iran stopped its uranium enrichment. source
- Possessing drugs for personal use should not be a criminal offense.: Opposed rescheduling marijuana. source
- Same-sex couples should have the same right to marry as opposite-sex couples.: Says faith-based opposition to same-sex marriage should be respected. source
DW-NOMINATE first dimension: 0.354 (from 900 votes; Voteview). Lane used for estimates: Moderate Republican.
Closest ideologies
National Liberalism88% similar positionNeoconservatism87% similar positionModerate Conservatism87% similar positionCentrism86% similar positionSocial Market Economy86% similar position
Similar and contrasting figures
Rishi Sunak96% similar · Historical and internationalFriedrich Merz96% similar · Historical and internationalBoris Johnson93% similar · Historical and internationalPierre Poilievre93% similar · Historical and internationalJohn F. Kennedy92% similar · US politiciansPeter KropotkinContrasting: 52% similarKim Jong UnContrasting: 53% similarMikhail BakuninContrasting: 53% similar
Sources
Profile last reviewed October 20, 2026.