South Dakota’s Republican Governor Kristi Noem endorsed President Donald Trump’s re-election bid in the 2024 race.
“He is the leader, the fighter that our country needs,” Gov. Noem told a crowd of thousands at a GOP rally in Rapid City.
“He has my full and complete endorsement for president of the United States.
“I will do everything I can to help him win and save this country.”
Trump was the headliner at the rally, with Neom introducing the 45th president to the stage.
Noem has previously been suggested as a contender for Trump’s vice presidential pick.
A graphic reading “Trump Noem 2024″ then briefly appeared on the screen behind the stage.
President Trump thanked the governor, calling her “a warrior for American values.”
“I get endorsements, some good, some bad,” Trump told the massive crowd.
“Some don’t mean anything. Hers means a lot.”
Noem’s endorsement of Trump capped a 20-minute speech highlighting how well South Dakota is faring.
The governor also credited Trump for making the state’s success possible following the pandemic.
Many other states went along with national recommendations for shuttering businesses, churches, and schools and stay-at-home orders.
However, Noem refused to strip South Dakotans of their freedoms.
“Those decisions were not leadership,” she noted.
“They were made based on fear and control.”
“We focused on our facts,” Noem said, noting that scientific data about the virus “did not support mandates or lockdowns.”
That’s why she declared the state “open for business.”
Noem also invited people to come visit and allowed citizens “to make the best decisions for themselves and for their loved ones.”
“I respected my oath to the United States in the South Dakota constitutions,” she explained.
“I respected our freedom, and I respected our people.
“Now if Joe Biden had been president, he would have tried to stop me from protecting you thank God President Trump was in the White House at the time.”
“He let me do my job,” she said of Trump as the crowd responded with loud cheers, applause, and whistles.
“And the results have been absolutely incredible.”
She said South Dakota recently recorded a 1.8-percent unemployment rate.
“No state has ever had an unemployment rate that low,” the governor said.
Noem said the state is seeing a population, housing, and income boom.
And while cutting taxes, the state has enjoyed revenue surpluses.
“We are the strongest state in America because President Trump let me do my job,” Noem said.
“We seized that moment. And we told our story.
“As you travel this great country, point to South Dakota as the example of what is possible.”
“I have seen President Trump take decisive action time and time again,” said Noem, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives on the Armed Services Committee before she became governor in 2019.
“He exhibits peace through strength he destroys our enemies and swiftly without hesitation.”
Noem then declared her endorsement for Trump.
Media outlets had earlier reported Noem’s planned endorsement.
The reports fueled speculation that the governor may become Trump’s vice-presidential running mate.
While Trump has yet to reveal who is in the running for his VP, Noem has repeatedly stated that she would consider accepting such an invitation.
Noem’s endorsement of Trump makes her only the fourth Republican governor to do so during the 2024 presidential campaign.
So far, only four have thrown their support behind Trump among 26 Republican governors.
Noem joins previous endorsers Alaska’s Mike Dunleavy, South Carolina’s Henry McMaster, and West Virginia’s Jim Justice.
In addition, Noem’s endorsement stands in contrast with South Dakota’s two U.S. Senators.
Sens. John Thune and Mike Rounds both announced their support for one of Trump’s distant Republican rivals, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina.
Meanwhile, Trump has maintained a commanding lead in opinion polls.
According to the RealClear Politics average, Trump is drawing almost 53 percent support, far outdistancing his nearest rivals, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (14 percent) and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy (6.6 percent).
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