South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, the self-proclaimed CEO of the state, began her second term on Saturday, shining a light on her state as one that can bring “hope” to conservatives and the rest of the country.
“Our state is thriving because we put forward and put in place conservative policies,” Noem said ahead of her inauguration Saturday morning. “That’s a story that I think can bring hope to the rest of the country.”
SOUTH DAKOTA GOV. KRISTI NOEM SAYS TRUMP IS NOT GOP’S ‘BEST CHANCE’ FOR 2024
During her address, Noem reminded her constituents and colleagues of the struggles the state endured from policy fights to the coronavirus pandemic and what it took to make it through.
The South Dakota Republican, who easily won reelection in November, added that even through “unpredictable storms,” the state is now “stronger than we ever were before.”
“Today we have the strongest economy and the best financial foundation that we’ve had in decades. We’ve created new jobs and careers right here at home,” she said, touting the state’s achievements during her first four-year term.
“Through our difficulties, we never lost sight of the fact that our power is in our people,” Noem added.
The crux of her address focused on a list of the top 10 things that surprised her about being governor.
Making light of some of the difficulties, Noem jokingly shared her experience from people caring where she is at all times, to being able to wear jeans, to being inspired by her state employees and hand-written notes from her constituents.
Congratulations my friend. @KristiNoem #SDGOV pic.twitter.com/axzWumrn1U
— Benjamin Yoho (@BenYoho) January 7, 2023
Noem also pointed out how quickly governors can implement their decisions, contrasting it with the eight years she spent in the House of Representatives.
“In Congress, we can make decisions or pass bills, but rarely did we see significant change happen. In fact, it was incredibly frustrating how hard it was to enact real reforms and to help the people right here at home,” she said.
“It could take months or years to fix something that was just common sense and easy to do. As governor, I get the chance every day to be the CEO of our state. We set an agenda. We make decisions,” Noem added.
Republicans across the country have also floated Noem as a possible contender for a 2024 presidential bid, or as a potential running mate. While she said she’s “focused on doing my job here in South Dakota,” she hasn’t completely tabled the idea.
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“We need a way better president than the one we’ve got today. Joe Biden’s a disaster,” Noem said in an interview. “So, Republicans really do need to focus on getting a candidate for presidential office that can win.”
