| Matt Michels | |
| Office: | 38th Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota |
| Governor: | Dennis Daugaard |
| Term Start: | January 8, 2011 |
| Term End: | January 5, 2019 |
| Predecessor: | Dennis Daugaard |
| Successor: | Larry Rhoden |
| Office1: | Speaker of the South Dakota House of Representatives |
| Term Start1: | January 2003 |
| Term End1: | January 2007 |
| Predecessor1: | Scott G. Eccarius |
| Successor1: | Thomas Deadrick |
| State House2: | South Dakota |
| District2: | 18th |
| Term Start2: | January 1999 |
| Term End2: | January 2007 |
| Successor2: | Nick Moser |
| Birth Date: | 9 March 1960 |
| Birth Place: | Pierre, South Dakota, U.S. |
| Party: | Republican |
| Spouse: | Karen Lindbloom |
| Children: | 1 son |
| Education: | University of South Dakota (BS, JD) |
| Allegiance: |  United States |
| Unit: | J.A.G. Corps |
| Serviceyears: | 1985-1989 |
Matthew Michels (born March 9, 1960[1]) is an American politician who served from 2011 to 2019 as the 38th lieutenant governor of South Dakota.
Michels was born in Pierre, South Dakota. He graduated with a B.S. from the University of South Dakota in 1981 and a J.D. from the University of South Dakota School of Law in 1985. Michels also worked as a nurse between 1981 and 1985.
Michels attended Naval Justice School and entered U.S. Navy JAG Corps. He was honorably discharged from the JAG Corps in 1989. He later became general counsel for Avera Health.
A member of the Republican Party, he served as speaker of the South Dakota House of Representatives from 2003 to 2007. Dennis Daugaard picked him as his running mate in the 2010 gubernatorial election;[2] [3] they were reelected in 2014.
| South Dakota House of Representatives District 18 Election, 2002 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Republican | Matt Michels | 5,724 | 35.31 | |
| Republican | Jean Hunhoff | 4,699 | 28.98 | |
| Democratic | Scott Swier | 4,234 | 26.11 | |
| Democratic | Jay Blankenfield | 1,556 | 9.60 | |
| South Dakota House of Representatives District 18 Election, 2004 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Republican | Matt Michels | 6,866 | 53.39 | |
| Republican | Jean Hunhoff | 5,993 | 46.61 | |
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