South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem Fast Becoming a Republican Presidential Prospect for 2024

(Photo : Getty Images/Joe Raedle)
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 27: South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference held in the Hyatt Regency on February 27, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. Begun in 1974, CPAC brings together conservative organizations, activists, and world leaders to discuss issues important to them.

Republicans are anticipating cultivating their next generation of national leaders. It is not a veteran battleground-state politician who is piquing interest by merging Trumpism with a down-home conservatism touch. It is South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, a rancher who is into sharing photos of herself riding horses and shooting pheasants.

Kristi Noem as Republican Prospect

Kristi Noem is dubbed as "Trump in heels." Noem has hired former President Donald Trump's first campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski. The latter is making the bet that Republican voters are seeking for a lady Trump. Although her state's novel coronavirus response was a failure, her Twitter feed reportedly "slaps." She prohibited all asylees from South Dakota but decreed it in a tweet, reported The Bulwark.

The 49-year-old has witnessed her profile rise during the coronavirus pandemic. Also, she had a high-profile moment last summer when she hosted Trump at Mount Rushmore on July 4. She gifted Trump with a Mount Rushmore replica that included his face. Her growing connection with the former president also ignited speculation he was considering swapping her for former Vice President Mike Pence as his running mate, reported Deseret News.

As her name recognition has increased and the GOP celebrated her defiance of lockdown guidelines and face mask mandates, Noem has appeared more frequently in lists of probable contenders for the GOP nomination in 2024. She has denied having any intention of bidding for the presidency. However, they allegedly all do this early in the process.

According to the betting markets, the South Dakota governor is moving up the list of possible 2024 Republican presidential candidates. Noem has gone up in the rankings on PredictIt, which allows prognosticators to put their money on their choice and buy "stock" in a candidate. The rankings include Noem, Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and former US United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley.

On January 20, Noem was in Washington to commemorate the inauguration of President Joe Biden as the 46th president of the United States. Eight days later, Noem was interrogated by reporters in her home state whether she regretted tweeting the presidential election was "rigged" in the days following the 2020 results. She responded, "I think that we deserve fair and transparent elections. I think there's a lot of people who have doubts about that," reported CNN.

Last year, she stated that she is not interested in running for president in 2024 and would prefer to remain in South Dakota. In a conference call with Center of the American Experiment, a conservative Minnesota think-tank, she remarked she has no interest.

Her approach to politics has at times made for rocky associations with her base. In April, she got herself into a showdown with the GOP-dominated State Legislature over her veto of a bill prohibiting transgender girls from school sports. She reportedly caved to pressure from the NCAA and "woke" corporations.