Controversial SD House member Phil Jensen suspended for two weeks from Republican caucus

PIERRE — South Dakota House Republicans have suspended Rep. Phil Jensen from their caucus meetings for two weeks because of his remarks about Democratic votes on legislation dealing with religion.

Jensen, of Rapid City, is no stranger to controversy. 

Last month, leaders changed his committee assignments and publicly scolded him after he protested the seating arrangement in the House Education Committee. Last year, leaders stripped his vice chairmanship of that committee after he filed legislation to defund the Huron School District because of its bathroom policy toward transgender students.

Republicans reassign committees for Rapid City lawmaker after ‘unprofessional and juvenile behavior’

Jensen’s most recent run-in with leadership happened after remarks he made Thursday in the House of Representatives. The subject was a nonbinding resolution urging South Dakotans to “seek the Lord Most High for His healing presence and mercy.” 

Jensen said the Founding Fathers would be “rolling over in their grave at the fact that we’re even having to debate this.”

“This should be a no-brainer,” he added. “And I would venture to say the only ones that are going to be voting red up there are going to be Democrats.”

That comment sparked verbal protests from multiple members in the chamber. Rep. Kadyn Wittman, D-Sioux Falls, immediately lodged a formal point-of-order complaint, and House Speaker Jon Hansen, R-Dell Rapids, responded. 

“Representative,” Hansen said to Jensen from the podium, “that’s out of order.” 

The debate then continued with remarks from other members, and the House approved the resolution 42-23. All five Democratic members of the House voted against it, and so did 18 Republicans, some citing concerns that the resolution represented a formal endorsement of a religion by the government in violation of the First Amendment.

On Monday, the Freedom Caucus — a subset of Republicans chaired by Jensen and describing themselves as “for liberty, limited government, and conservative values” — issued a press release saying Jensen had been removed from the House Republican caucus. The “caucus” in that context is the name used to describe the private meetings of House Republicans to discuss bills and legislative strategy.

The Freedom Caucus release said the removal “appeared to be an effort to silence people from speaking out on their beliefs and their right to speak publicly on matters of public importance.” The release said the removal “could have a chilling effect on open discussion in the Legislature.”

Lawmakers ask South Dakotans to ‘seek the Lord Most High’

Tuesday morning, Jensen told South Dakota Searchlight that the removal is for two weeks.

House Majority Leader Scott Odenbach, R-Spearfish, said in a written statement to Searchlight that it wasn’t just Democrats who objected to Jensen’s comments.

“Numerous Republicans expressed outrage as well,” Odenbach said, because “openly questioning House members’ Christian faith in the manner he did” constituted a violation of “rules regarding decorum and respect due to other members.”

Odenbach added that the decision to suspend Jensen from the caucus for two weeks was “the collective decision of House Republicans.”

House Minority Leader Erin Healy, D-Sioux Falls, said she would like the House of Representatives to formally discipline Jensen. Being in the minority, Democrats are not well positioned to make that happen.

Healy said Jensen’s remarks were hurtful.

“There were people who left who were very upset,” she said. “There were tears. It’s very offensive to be questioned like that.”

Rep. Phil Jensen, R-Rapid City, speaks on Jan. 29, 2026, on the South Dakota House floor about a resolution dealing with religion. (Video courtesy of South Dakota Public Broadcasting)