Gordon Mydland
Gordon James Mydland was an American attorney and politician who served as the Attorney General of South Dakota. He was also a state senator, and a circuit court judge.
Early life and education
Mydland was born on a farm near Hetland, South Dakota, on May 12, 1922. He attended South [Dakota State University] for a Bachelor of Science degree and the University of South Dakota School of Law for his LL.B degree.Career
Prior to his election to the state senate, he was the County Attorney for Brookings County, South Dakota. He served in the South Dakota State Senate from 1963 to 1968 representing the 13th district and the 6th district. He was also Attorney General of South Dakota from 1969 to 1973. He was later a judge on the South Dakota Third Judicial Circuit.On April 10, 1968, Mydland was the fourth candidate for the Republican nomination for Attorney General. He joined previously announced candidates Walter Andre, Michael Strain both of Pierre and assistant attorneys general and Tony Wiesensee an attorney from Canton. On July 16, 1968, at the Republican Convention, Mydland defeated Michael Strain by a vote of 82,946 to 48,764; Andre and Wiesensee removed themselves from the race before the voting began. Mydland was elected as Attorney General by defeating Democrat James Abourezk in 1968. Gordon received 148,366 votes; James received 118,045 votes.
Mydland was challenged for re-nomination by Ron Schmidt of Pierre. Mydland prevailed with 118,446 1/2 votes to Schmidt receiving 42,542 1/2 votes. Mydland was re-elected in 1970 by defeating Democrat Ramon Roubideaux. Gordon received 116,493 votes; Ramon received 114,633 votes.
Mydland ran for the US Senate. In the primary, Mydland finished 2nd to Robert Hirsch, but Hirsch did not get the required 35% of the vote to win the nomination, so the nomination was decided by the South Dakota Republican Convention. Secretary of State Alma Larson endorsed Mydland for the nomination runoff. Ultimately, Robert Hirsch was nominated by the convention for the US Senate, but he lost to Democrat James Abourezk in the general election.
In 1977, Mydland was appointed to be a Circuit Court judge for the 3rd Judicial Circuit, where he served until his retirement in 1987.