Phil Jensen (born July 24, 1952), is an American politician from Pennington County, South Dakota who is a current member of the South Dakota House of Representatives and has served as a Republican member of the South Dakota Senate representing District 33 from 2013 to 2021.
Political controversies and disputes
Jensen attracted attention nationally for his assertion in an interview with the
Rapid City Journal that the
free market, not government, should be allowed to decide whether or not racial discrimination is acceptable, and that his SB 128 introduced in 2013, which would allow discrimination by business owners, would serve to protect "the constitutional right to free association, the right to free speech and private property rights." (The bill failed, having drawn such reactions as fellow Republican State Senator
Mark Kirkeby terming it "a mean, nasty, hateful, vindictive bill.")
[ Catalan, Julissa. "Lawmaker: ‘Government Shouldn’t Prevent Racial Discrimination’" diversity.com n.d.] Jensen's stance was repudiated by Republican Governor
Dennis Daugaard, who issued a
press release stating, "I found his comments to be completely out of line with South Dakota values. I don't agree with him and I haven't talked to anyone who does.
Jensen is uncertain about the assertion that he is South Dakota's most conservative politician, describing himself as simply a true Reagan conservative; but asserts that "too many" members of his own party are Republicans In Name Only.
[ Simmons-Ritchie, Daniel. "Phil Jensen: South Dakota's most conservative lawmaker?" Rapid City Journal March 16, 2014]
In 2022, it emerged that Jensen had been a member of the far-right militia group, the Oath Keepers.
In 2025, Jensen purposed a bill which would have directed the South Dakota Department of Education to withhold money from the Huron School District. Jensen explained to the Argus Leader that the bill was intended to get district leaders to testify in Pierre to explain why "it is allowing boys to go into girls' bathrooms." The bill received statewide condemnation including from fellow Republican lawmakers, leading to Jensen being demoted as Vice Chair of the House Education Committee and withdrawing the bill less than 24 hours.
Elections
South Dakota House of Representatives
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2008 When House District 33 incumbent Republican Representative Michael Buckingham ran for South Dakota Senate and incumbent Republican Representative Don Van Etten was and left the Legislature, Jensen ran in the four-way June 3, 2008 Republican Primary and placed second with 830 votes (28.2%),
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2010 Jensen and incumbent Representative Sly were unopposed for both the June 8, 2010 Republican Primary
South Dakota Senate
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2012 When incumbent Senate District 33 Republican Senator Elizabeth Kraus left the Legislature and left the District 33 seat open, Jensen ran in the June 5, 2012 Republican Primary and placed first with 1,128 votes (57.6%) against former Representative Michael Buckingham
South Dakota House of Representatives
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In November 2020, Jensen was elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives with 10,251 votes along with Taffy Howard who received 7,902 votes, they were uncontested.
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