While governments in other states were busy crushing their economies over the past year, South Dakota never closed. I was the only governor not to order a single business or church to shut its doors. As a result, we were afforded unique opportunities to set our state up for long-term growth.

South Dakota avoided small business devastation, extended school closures, and suffering communities. We respected that South Dakotans did not need the heavy hand of government to tell them how to protect themselves. We trusted the people. And now, our state economy is the fastest-growing, with the lowest unemployment rate in the country.