Mike Derby
Mike Derby is a longtime Rapid Citian who moved to town as a child and grew up attending Meadowbrook, West Junior High, and Stevens High School before earning a BS in Business Administration from the University of South Dakota in 1979. He owned Canyon Lake Resort in west Rapid City and has chaired the Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce and served on the Visit Rapid City board. He first served District 34 in the House from 1997 to 2002 under Gov. Janklow, returned in 2021, and currently serves as Lead Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Appropriations and Chair of the House Appropriations Committee. He and his wife Carmen have two daughters and four grandchildren.
Why they’re
Sensible
Derby brings rare depth to Pierre — a Rapid City businessman with more than three decades of budget and economic-development experience who now runs the appropriations gavel. As Joint Appropriations co-chair he helped deliver the 2023 sales-tax cut (HB 1137), South Dakota's largest tax reduction to date, and he has maintained a perfect floor-attendance record across four consecutive sessions. His work on the Ellsworth AFB Select Committee and Legislative Executive Committee shows a lawmaker focused on concrete regional priorities rather than headline fights, and his 2026 platform centers on small-business growth, tourism, Ellsworth, and rural healthcare. Endorsed by Speaker Hugh Bartels, Rep. Dusty Johnson, and former Gov. Dennis Daugaard, Derby represents the continuity of serious, substantive leadership West River voters need.
Key positions
“We reduced citizens' tax burden by $104 million a year by cutting the State general sales tax.”
“We got to tighten our belt, we're making some cuts to balance the budget.”
“Introduce and support enabling legislation that protects and allows Ellsworth AFB to sustain and grow its vital missions.”
“What is this legislation going to do to impact the business people? What are the barriers we can get out of the way?”
“Continuity of leadership for West River and Rapid City is critical.”
Also running for
SD State House · District 34
Every other candidate filed for this seat, listed for transparency. Our Sensible slate reflects the full field — not just a single pick.