Tyler Tordsen
Tyler Tordsen was born in Sioux Falls and grew up in Rapid City as an enrolled member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate. He earned a B.S. in Political Science and Economics from the University of South Dakota and later an M.S. in Military Operational Art and Science from Air University. Before his election to the South Dakota House in 2022, Tyler spent eight years in U.S. Senator Mike Rounds' office as Southeast Regional Director and State Director of Tribal Affairs; he now serves as President & CEO of the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance, South Dakota's largest regional economic-development nonprofit. He lives in Sioux Falls with his wife Erika and their three children.
Why they’re
Sensible
Tyler Tordsen arrived in Pierre in 2023 as a freshman and promptly led ten bills to the Governor's signature — a pace few new members match. His most tangible accomplishment was sponsoring HB 1041 (2024), which fixed a drafting error that had locked South Dakota's nine tribes out of a $200 million housing-infrastructure grant program; the bill passed the House 52-17 and the Senate 29-2, drawing praise from tribal leaders across the state. Earlier he co-prime-sponsored SB 76 (2023), the workforce-freedom bill that recognized out-of-state occupational licenses for nearly every profession, addressing a backlog of 900-plus open jobs in the state. His background as both an enrolled tribal member and a regional economic-development CEO gives him a rare on-the-ground understanding of the pressures Sioux Falls families face — and a track record of turning that understanding into signed law.
Key positions
“Housing is a challenge, whether you're in Sioux Falls, whether you're in rural South Dakota, or whether you're in the tribal communities. So, that was the reason there was so much support for this, just to make sure tribes are eligible.”
“The most effective government is a government closest to the people.”
“The more opportunities to shop local or bring in visitors to things like festivals and farmers markets, the more it helps the community invest in itself.”
Also running for
SD State House · District 14
Every other candidate filed for this seat, listed for transparency. Our Sensible slate reflects the full field — not just a single pick.