South Dakota House Members Choose Leadership Teams

November 10, 2026

PIERRE, S.D.–The South Dakota House of Representatives will have new leaders for the coming year.

On Monday morning, 59 House Republicans met behind closed doors at the South Dakota Capitol and chose Mike Stevens of Yankton as the chamber’s next speaker and Taylor Rehfeldt of Sioux Falls as the Republican majority leader.

Republican Amber Arlint of Sioux Falls was chosen Monday as speaker pro tem for the new term.

House Republicans also chose a new team of whips, whose roles are to serve as liaisons between smaller groups of Republican legislators and the House Republican leadership. They are Nick Fosness of Britton, Mellissa Heermann of Brookings, Brian Mulder of Sioux Falls, Matt Roby of Watertown, and Mike Weisgram of Fort Pierre.

The ten Democrats also chose their new House leadership on Sunday. Eric Emery of Rosebud will be minority leader, succeeding Erin Healy of Sioux Falls, who was term-limited.

Kadyn Wittman of Sioux Falls will be assistant minority leader.