Four of South Dakota’s highest-ranking public officials have come out against Amendment G, the measure that would legalize abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy if passed by voters in November. The measure could also deny parents the right to know if their underage daughter is undergoing an abortion procedure, and would remove safety standards currently in place to protect mothers.
The first official to come forward in opposition to Amendment G was second-term senator and former governor Mike Rounds with a statement on social media platform X. Rounds is one of South Dakota’s “big four” elected officials, along with his counterparts in D.C. and Governor Kristi Noem.
“I’m pro-life and will vote ‘no’ on Amendment G,” Rounds wrote on X. “First and foremost, I believe that life begins at conception and our obligation is to save lives. That includes both the mother and child.”
During his time as governor, Rounds signed the 2005 trigger law that activated upon the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, making abortion illegal in South Dakota to this day.
“Amendment G goes too far by including legal abortions through the third trimester,” Rounds continued. “This extreme measure does not belong in the South Dakota Constitution. Please vote no.” (emphasis added)
Rounds’ public statement prompted both Senator John Thune and Representative Dusty Johnson to issue statements of opposition to the amendment. A spokeswoman for Johnson said the congressman would be voting “no” on the amendment and “using a substantial amount of money on a letter and radio campaign to educate South Dakotans about how extreme this amendment is.” Thune’s spokesperson shared, “The senator opposes [Amendment G]. Sen. Thune has a 100 percent pro-life voting record in Congress and has always [worked] to defend the lives of the unborn.”
This week, Dusty Johnson’s radio ad was released. “This fall we’re voting on Amendment G, which would put abortion in our constitution,” Johnson says in the ad. “You’ve heard Amendment G is too extreme for South Dakota, and I agree with that. It fails to protect mothers, and it fails to protect children. It allows the termination of pregnancy all the way until birth. South Dakota, we can do better. Please join me in voting ‘no’ on Amendment G.” (emphasis added)
Following the three statements from Rounds, Thune, and Johnson, Governor Noem submitted a video to the South Dakota Right to Life convention voicing her opposition to Amendment G.
With the support of South Dakota’s highest-ranking public officials, we feel confident the voters of this state will better understand the gravity of this amendment and what it would mean for mothers and unborn babies in our state. Not only does the measure legalize late-term abortion, it removes safety standards and puts women at great danger. Please join us in spreading the word about the details of this measure.
