South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (R) easily defeated her Democratic challenger state House Minority Leader Jamie Smith on Tuesday night, locking down a second trip to the governor’s mansion.
During her victory speech, Noem said she would build on her successes; she also blasted Joe Biden.
“Americans across the country are looking to South Dakota as a ‘Shining City on the Hill.’ In states across the country tonight, they’re electing Republican governors because they want their state to look more like South Dakota,” Noem said.
From Fox News:
Her speech called attention to these accomplishments and promised more to come in her second term, including a push for what Noem said will be “the largest tax cut in state history” by eliminating the state sales tax on all grocery purchases. The governor also promised to expand paid family leave for private citizens, eliminate regulations on child care, strengthen the state’s food supply chain and defend “integrity in our elections.”
In contrast to this vision, Noem said Democrats nationally “are following an extremist agenda set by people who do not love our nation and do not share our values.”
“Freedom and opportunity mean nothing to them. They care about control. And they use fear to get it,” the governor said.
Noem questioned whether Biden, in his advanced age, is fully in command of his administration or is being controlled by those around him.
“The man in the White House today is not the Joe Biden that we thought we knew five, 10 years ago. I may not have agreed with that Joe Biden politically, but I didn’t doubt whether his mind was his own,” Noem said.
However, Noem made it clear that she believes Biden owns the disastrous consequences of his administration’s policies.
“Make no mistake, the nation that is unfolding around us is Joe Biden’s America — and it’s not the nation I want to leave to my kids and grandkids,” Noem said…
“Under Joe Biden’s so-called leadership, families are poorer than they’ve been in decades. In his America, our streets are not safe for our kids to play on. In his America, we are closer to nuclear war than we have been in generations,” Noem said, issuing a blistering condemnation of the president’s record that doubtlessly will fuel speculation as to her own presidential ambitions.
Indeed, as Noem celebrated Republican victories nationwide, she urged those in her party to “look to South Dakota as the example of the America that we can all build together,” staking her claim to national leadership in the GOP.
Noem thanked her supporters on Twitter:
Thank you, South Dakota!
Together, we’ve made The Mount Rushmore State the strongest state in America.
Back to work tomorrow, and congratulations to @RepJamieSmith on a hard fought race. pic.twitter.com/3qcxRODse8
— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) November 9, 2022
Thank you for visiting