Will Mortenson

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Will Mortenson

|office = Majority Leader of the South Dakota House of Representatives

|term_start = January 10, 2023

|term_end = January 14, 2025

|predecessor = Kent Peterson

|successor = Scott Odenbach

|state_house1 = South Dakota

|district1 = 24th

|alongside1 = Mike Weisgram

|term_start1 = January 12, 2021

|term_end1 =

|predecessor1 = Tim Rounds
Mary Duvall

|successor1 =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|1|1}}

|birth_place = Pierre, South Dakota, U.S.

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Republican

|education = University of South Dakota (BA)
University of Virginia (JD)

}}

Will D. Mortenson is an American attorney and a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives representing the 24th district since January 2021.{{Cite web|title=South Dakota Legislature|url=https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/3788/Detail|access-date=2021-03-17|website=sdlegislature.gov}}

Early life and education

Mortenson was born in Pierre, South Dakota and graduated from T. F. Riggs High School. He is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.{{cite web|title=Mortenson announces candidacy for District 24 House of Representatives|url=https://drgnews.com/2019/11/14/mortenson-announces-candidacy-for-district-24-house-of-representatives/|website=drgnews.com}}

Mortenson attended University of South Dakota where he received his B.A. He ran the 2010 reelection campaign of Public Utilities Commissioner Dusty Johnson, then worked in the Office of Governor Dennis Daugaard as a policy analyst, before attending the University of Virginia School of Law graduating with his J.D. in 2016.

Political career

Mortenson first ran for the South Dakota House of Representatives from District 24 in 2020. He won the primary in June 2020 and the general election on November 3, 2020. In 2021, Mortenson filed articles of impeachment against Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg,{{cite web|title=District 24 Rep. Will Mortenson files Articles of Impeachment against Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg|url=https://drgnews.com/2021/02/23/district-24-rep-will-mortenson-files-article-of-impeachment-against-attorney-general-jason-ravnsborg/|website=drgnews.com}} and again in 2022,{{cite web|title=Mortenson files impeachment resolution|url=https://www.keloland.com/news/capitol-news-bureau/mortenson-files-impeachment-resolution/|website=keloland.com|date=11 April 2022 }} leading to Ravnsborg's removal from office.{{cite web|title=South Dakota Removes Its Attorney General After Fatal Crash|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/21/us/jason-ravnsborg-impeachment-south-dakota.html|website=The New York Times}}

In 2022, Mortenson was selected to serve as House Majority Leader by his Republican colleagues in the State House of Representatives.{{cite web|title=Will Mortenson elected to serve as House Majority Leader in SD Legislature|url=https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/politics/2022/11/21/heres-who-will-serve-in-south-dakota-house-leadership/69667072007/|website=argusleader.com}} He is the youngest Republican to serve as House Majority Leader in state history, and the first tribal member to lead a majority caucus.{{cite web|title=SD House Republicans pick leadership team|url=https://sodakgovs.wordpress.com/2022/11/19/sd-house-republicans-pick-leadership-team/|website=sodakgovs.wordpress.com|date=19 November 2022 }}