Gov. Kristi Noem received several loud applause breaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference after slamming the government-imposed coronavirus lockdowns and touting her handling of the virus in South Dakota.
“COVID didn’t crush the economy. Government crushed the economy,” Noem told the crowd of conservatives gathered in Orlando, Florida, on Saturday. “South Dakota is the only state in America that never ordered a single business or church to close.”
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.@govkristinoem: “COVID didn’t crush the economy. Government crushed the economy.
South Dakota is the only state in America that never ordered a single business or church to close.” pic.twitter.com/hDJJPLlBa3
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) February 27, 2021
The Republican governor has been praised by conservatives and attacked by liberals for her handling of the coronavirus after choosing at the beginning of the pandemic to place a higher value on liberty and personal responsibility than strict lockdowns recommended by health experts.
“I took an oath when I was in Congress to uphold the United States Constitution,” Noem said last April. “So, I believe in people’s freedoms and liberties, and I always balance that with every decision that I make as governor. I get overly concerned with leaders who take too much power in a time of crisis because I think that’s how we directly lose our country someday by leaders overstepping their proper role.”
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In her speech, Noem also castigated White House coronavirus response team member Dr. Anthony Fauci and told the crowd that he has been “wrong a lot” over the past year.
.@govkristinoem: “Now Dr. Fauci, he told me that on my worst day I’d have 10,000 patients in the hospital.
On our worst day, we had a little over 600.
I don’t know if you agree with me, but Dr. Fauci is wrong a lot.” pic.twitter.com/PeSoc39N1i
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) February 27, 2021
CPAC will conclude on Sunday with a speech from former President Donald Trump that many anticipate will highlight his political plans going forward, as well as his hopes for the future of the Republican Party.
