Harlan J. Bushfield was born in 1882 in Atlantic, Iowa, and later moved to Miller, South Dakota. He graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1904 and began his career in public service as State's Attorney of Hand County from 1906 to 1910. Bushfield held leadership roles within the South Dakota Republican Party, including serving as chairman from 1934 to 1938. He was elected governor of South Dakota in 1938 and reelected in 1940, during which he implemented fiscal conservatism and supported federal aid for farmers. Bushfield was elected to the United States Senate in 1942 but did not seek reelection after suffering a stroke in 1947.

Harlan J. Bushfield's political identity is marked by a surprising blend of fiscal conservatism at the state level with support for federal intervention during economic crises. His advocacy for reduced state spending and taxes contrasts with his backing of federal aid for farmers, revealing a nuanced approach to economic policy. Bushfield's foreign policy stance further complicates his ideological profile, as his support for U.S. involvement in World War II sits uneasily alongside his isolationist opposition to global institutions and trade agreements.