South Dakota GOP Gov. Kristi Noem said Wednesday the reason she decided against competing for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination is simple: former President Donald Trump.
"None of them can win as long as Trump is in the race, and that's just the facts," Noem told Fox News from Sturgis, South Dakota, where she attended the world's largest motorcycle rally. "Why run if you can't win? I've probably run 10 statewide races; I've won them all. I've never lost. If I get into a race, I'm going to win. That's just how we do it.
"President Trump did some great things for our state and for our country. As governor — and everybody should be grateful for this — he let me do my job. He let me do my job and I appreciate that. [Joe] Biden doesn't do that."
Noem was one of Trump's staunchest supporters during and after his presidency. She has been mentioned as a possible running mate should Trump, the front-runner in the GOP race, get the nomination.
"He hasn't asked me," she said. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. I don't really answer hypotheticals. He's going to need somebody that is a good partner that's willing to fix this country, and it's not going to be pretty. We have a lot to do."
Trump is expected to visit the state Sept. 8 for the South Dakota Republican Party's Monumental Leaders Rally in Rapid City. The last time he visited South Dakota was on July 4, 2020, to celebrate Independence Day at Mount Rushmore. Noem has yet to endorse a candidate for the 2024 GOP nomination, but she hinted that it might come that day.
"Those tickets went on sale and within a day, they were sold out," Noem said. "We are excited he is coming to help the Republican Party. He is inspirational. People show up to hear something interesting, and you will hear something from me, too."
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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