Frank Farrar holds a B.S. from the University of South Dakota and an LL.B. from the USD School of Law. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve and on active duty during the Korean War, reaching the rank of captain. Farrar began his career as an Internal Revenue Service Agent before transitioning to the judiciary and later serving as State's Attorney for Marshall County. He was elected Attorney General of South Dakota three times and subsequently served as Governor, during which he focused on modernizing regulatory authorities and criminal justice reforms.

Frank Farrar's political identity is marked by a complex blend of strict enforcement and compassionate clemency, particularly in his handling of criminal justice. His tenure as Attorney General and Governor of South Dakota reveals a surprising willingness to question the death penalty, as evidenced by his commutation of Thomas White Hawk's sentence. Despite his tough stance on drug enforcement and consumer protection, Farrar's approach to energy sector reforms and tax policy shows a readiness to challenge traditional economic paradigms.