"He's legitimately legit," said Republican state Rep. Greg Jamison, of Sioux Falls, one of five House majority whips, calling Rhoden "a real reflection on South Dakota and how anybody from across the country would perceive our state."

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem built a national profile during the COVID-19 pandemic, had fellow Republicans buzzing about her future, and published two political memoirs in three years. Lawmakers describe the man set to replace her as a friendly ...