CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER. [128], In October 2020, as South Dakota reported the country's second-highest number of new COVID-19 cases per capita and hospitals began to prioritize treatment of severe COVID-19 cases over lesser ones, Noem said the higher case numbers were because of more testing, despite the positive test rate and hospitalization rate also increasing. Kristi Noem paints dark picture of U.S. under Dem leaders", "Gov. An aide to Noem admitted to the committee that no schools were consulted about the proposal. John Thune leads Dusty Johnson, 47% 30%, but fails to hit the critical 50% threshold. Wanless noted that even in GOP-dominated South Dakota, Noem defeated Democrat Billy Sutton in the 2018 gubernatorial election by only 51.0% to 47.6%, a difference of about 11,000 votes. The multimillionaire entrepreneur and author entered the Republican presidential race with an appearance on Tucker Carlsons Fox News show and a video centered on opposition to social justice activism. Today, Governor Kristi Noem VETOED House Bill 1109, which would raise occupation taxes on both South Dakotans and visitors to our state. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem is ranked 7th in the poll with 59 percent approval and 39 percent disapproval. A member of the Republican Party, she was the U.S. representative for South Dakota's at-large congressional district from 2011 to 2019 and a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives for the 6th district from 2007 to 2011. Ms. Noem has shown a similar passion for making the state a destination, most memorably mixing tourism with politics by ensuring that fireworks could be displayed at Mount Rushmore to entice Mr. Trump there last year. "[209][210] One day after calling for peace and reconciliation in the aftermath of the assault on the Capitol, Noem called the two newly elected Democratic senators from Georgia, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, "communists" in an op-ed for The Federalist, prompting criticism from South Dakota Democrats.[211]. Overall, she received a 61 percent approval rating. Secretary of Corrections announces retirement amid DOC Shakeup", "Gov. The former President remains popular among South Dakota Republicans with a score of 71. Kristi Noem signs pro-life bills into law", "South Dakota governor signs bills aimed at curbing abortion", "South Dakota governor defends state's abortion 'trigger' ban when asked if 10-year-old should be forced to give birth", "Pipeline Opponents Strike Back Against Anti-Protest Laws", "Gov. [86] In 2020, Noem brought additional legislation to repeal sections of the previous bill and clarify the definition of "incitement to riot". [118][119] Also on April 6, Noem ordered businesses and local governments to practice social distancing and other CDC guidelines. Ms. Noems approach is markedly different from the arc of other modern governors-turned-presidents, such as Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. The bill would require young athletes to join teams that aligned with their biological sex at birth. In 2006, she won with 39% of the vote. [102][103], On February 24, 2022, Republican State Representative John Mills introduced House Resolution 7004, "Addressing the Governor's unacceptable actions in matters related to the appraiser certification program", against Noem. Trump elector", "Noem sent letters a week ago bowing out as one of South Dakota's presidential electors", "State of South Dakota Certificate of Vote", "Governor Noem tweets violence in Washington 'right now must stop', "South Dakota delegation waits out 'violent, lawless' riot at Capitol Hill", South Dakota governor calls new Georgia senators communists, "HB 1048-make an appropriation to the Department of Game, Fish and Parks for expanding Custer State Park and to declare an emergency", "Private park owners not happy with S.D. But her stumble on the trans bill planted some doubts among social conservatives, and her appearances on Fox News most weeks and her time spent at Mr. Trumps Mar-a-Lago fund-raising site have prompted griping in South Dakota. Don't Miss Luke Walton Kids: Does Luke Walton have a child? [184] Numerous conservative commentators criticized Noem for vetoing the bill. As the 2022 elections approach, Wiltse said Noem may move even more to the political right to ensure her base of GOP supporters is motivated. The bill exempts health care providers and other businesses, including those selling personal protective equipment, from lawsuits unless COVID-19 exposure was the result of gross negligence, recklessness, or willful misconduct. [55] She said she supported a temporary ban on accepting refugees from "terrorist-held" areas,[56] but "did not address whether she supports other aspects of the order, which led to the detention of legal U.S. residents such as green-card holders and people with dual citizenship as they reentered the country" in the aftermath of the order's issuance. The bill would allow hotels and motels . For anybody to run against her in the first place doesnt make sense to me, Goodwin says. [217][218][219][220], In February 2019, she said that the Trump administration's trade wars with China and the European Union had devastated South Dakota's economy, particularly the agricultural sector, "by far" the state's largest industry. Kristi Lynn Noem (/nom/; ne Arnold; born November 30, 1971) is an American politician and farmer serving as the 33rd governor of South Dakota since 2019. He learned his lesson, he said, after supporting her primary opponents when she ran for South Dakotas lone House seat in 2010 and then for governor in 2018, and he was not going to get the third strike., Why Kristi Noem Is Rising Quickly as a Republican Prospect for 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/02/us/politics/kristi-noem-south-dakota-republicans.html. [174][175][176], Noem opposes same-sex marriage. President Trumps support would be invaluable in a South Dakota Republican primary, while being tied to President Biden could be electorally fatal.. [181] On March 29, the South Dakota House rejected Noem's style and form veto, 672. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), alleging that she was retaliated against for reporting sexual harassment by Young. Ron DeSantis of Florida, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolinaand Gov. All rights reserved. [192] She defended the campaign as successful in raising awareness. She used pandemic relief funds in November 2020 to promote tourism during a surge in cases in the state. Kristi Noem is an American politician serving as the 33rd governor of South Dakota since 2019. [183] The House then failed to override her veto by a vote of 45-24 (47 votes were needed to override). On Wednesday morning, Governor Kristi Noem will sign SB 76, which will recognize out-of-state licenses for nearly every profession in South Dakota. Gov. [125] Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar misinformed a group of legislators that meatpacking plants employees were not likely to be infected at work, but that their "home and social" habits were spreading the contagion. Wiltse said the apparent effort by Haugaard to label Noem as not conservative enough is unlikely to help him prevail in the GOP primary. [177], On March 8, Noem announced on Twitter that she would sign into law H.B. [48] In March 2011, Noem was critical of President Obama's approach to the NATO-led military intervention in the 2011 Libyan civil war, calling on him to provide more information about the U.S.'s role in the conflict and characterizing his statements as vague and ambiguous. As she steps up her already-busy travel schedule she was the keynote speaker at the Kansas G.O.P.s convention this month and will address Arkansas Republicans in June Ms. Noem, 49, may represent the purest test of the potency of Trump-style pugilism. In 2022, Noem sought to put a government paid RV park in Custer State Park. [75], On November 12, 2021, Noem announced that she was running for reelection as governor. "Noem would only need to win over a sliver of the 10% undecided to break the 50% mark. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz came in at 32 with a 51 percent approval and 42 percent disapproval. Trumps approval rating among GOP primary voters is extremely strong in South Dakota, and would theoretically go a long way to helping Noem should she run. [89] Additional attendees included Peters, Noem's chief of staff Tony Venhuizen,[90] Department of Labor Attorney Amber Mulder and Labor Secretary Marcia Hultman. "Only girls should play girls sports." [207][208], After the U.S. Capitol was attacked by a pro-Trump mob on January 6, 2021, disrupting the counting of the electoral votes formalizing Biden's victory, Noem spoke out against the violence, saying, "We are all entitled to peacefully protest. Kristi Noem Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022 in Sioux . "I'm hoping everyone in the nation gets on the bandwagon and follows us." "[201], Noem claimed that the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump, was marred by widespread voter fraud; no evidence supports this claim. Kristi Noem, speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (AP/John Raoux), "People are really struggling out there with high energy costs, high food costs. The governor will continue to focus on South Dakota priorities," Fury wrote. Inspectors were expected to supply their own masks. [100] On December 15, 2021, the Government Accountability Board referred one of the two complaints to Noem for a response and sent the other back to the complainant for further information. Noem has positioned herself as a conservative Republican and has garnered national attention for her relatively hands-off approach to the COVID-19 pandemic, in which she pushed to keep businesses open, encouraged visitors to come to the state and railed against vaccine mandates. How old is Kristi Noem? And voters are relatively positive about her experience. [135] South Dakota was the only state to refuse the assistance. Mr. Olson, whom Ms. Noem reappointed to the State Game, Fish and Parks Commission, is not the only South Dakota Republican eager to remain on the governors good side. [187], In 2021, Noem signed a religious refusal bill into law; the legislation amended the state RFRA to allow businesses owners to cite religious beliefs as a basis to deny products or services to people on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. [213] The House Agricultural and Natural Resources deferred the bill to the 41st day, effectively killing it, by a vote of 93. Noem said that South Dakota businesses (and by extension businesses nationwide) "could be forced to comply with 1,000 different tax structures nationwide without the tools necessary to do so", adding that her legislation "provides a necessary fix. When it comes to these kinds of critiques, they typically dont resonate all that much within that persons own party. Kristi Noem, speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Noem has announced she is running for reelection in 2022, and will face a GOP primary challenge from state Rep. Steve Haugaard, a Sioux Falls attorney and former speaker of the state House of Representatives. Independents were less supportive, with 66.4% strongly or somewhat supportive. Noem's fourth quarter approval rating comes after her approval rating remained in the 48-49% range for the first nine months of the year, according to Morning Consult.