Republican Senator Mike Rounds faces questions about campaign funding and the private lobbying activities of his longtime advisor, Rob Skjonsberg, as an independent challenger prepares for the 2026 race.
Skjonsberg, who has worked for Rounds for over a decade, is registered as a lobbyist for more than a dozen clients before the South Dakota Legislature. State records show he is a co-owner and founding member of 605 Strategies, a South Dakota government affairs firm established in 2012.
Among his clients is Meta, the social media giant. South Dakota agreed to accept tens of millions from Meta to end a multi-state effort to punish the company for child exploitation. Skjonsberg also represents Altria, the tobacco company.
Independent U.S. Senate candidate Brian Bengs, seeking to unseat Rounds, said the senator has received more than $215,000 from AI data center interests. Bengs also claimed Rounds is backed by hundreds of thousands of dollars from super PACs supporting big tech interests.
"He has taken over $215,000 from AI data center interests, and is backed with hundreds of thousands more from super PACs that support big tech interests," Bengs said. "Now, he can claim he represents us, but the money tells a different story."
