Donald Trump was in South Dakota on Friday evening for a party fundraiser that also gave the state’s governor, Kristi Noem, the opportunity to present herself as a potential vice presidential candidate.
Trump joined the South Dakota Republican Party for a “Monumental Leaders Rally” in Rapid City.
Noem appeared alongside and supported the former president, creating an image of the couple that Noem’s allies hope looks like vice presidential material.
Sources told the New York Times that she was eyeing a vice presidential position.
Noem, 51, is being touted as a future presidential candidate – with a stint in the White House sure to give her national exposure and help fuel future presidential ambitions.
Trump’s decision to headline the event underscores his dominance in the Republican race, even as he faces four different charges and 91 felony counts.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem greets former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump before he speaks at a South Dakota Republican Party rally in Rapid City, South Dakota on Friday evening
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem endorsed former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally on Friday, potentially extending Trump’s lead
Former US President and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during the South Dakota Republican Party’s Monumental Leaders rally at the Ice Arena at Monument in Rapid City, South Dakota on Friday evening
South Dakota holds a late primary and is not competitive in a general election.
With a huge lead in the polls, Trump is skipping much of the traditional primary campaign.
Opinion poll
Do you think Kristi Noem would be a good vice president?
- Yes, 63 votes
- No 26 votes
- Draw 10 votes
Instead of large-scale rallies, he relies on state party events that provide a large, friendly audience at no cost to his campaign, while his political organization covers millions of dollars in legal fees.
Trump’s visit on Friday was something of an audition for Noem.
According to one of the Republicans, who spoke anonymously, she planned the event to both express her support and maximize one-on-one time with Trump as he considers potential 2024 nominees and Cabinet members. A spokesman for the governor declined to comment.
Noem’s term will end in 2026, and after declining to run for president this year, she is considering her next move to maintain her prominent position in the Republican Party.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem greets former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump before speaking at a Republican Party rally in South Dakota
Noem, a rising star in the party, has long been mentioned as a possible candidate to replace Trump if he wins the nomination
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem takes the stage before Friday’s event
Supporters of President Trump are seen in the crowd at the Republican Party rally in South Dakota
“I think Donald Trump has a 50-50 chance of being elected at this point. So why not hitch his wagon if you can?” said Michael Card, a longtime observer of South Dakota politics, who suggested Noem could also appoint a future president or conservative commentator from the National Rifle Association.
Voting won’t begin for several months, and Trump’s indictments and impending criminal proceedings create an unprecedented situation that many strategists argue could affect the race in unexpected ways.
That hasn’t stopped those eager to be considered as Trump’s running mate from openly vying for the position and trying to ingratiate themselves with him and his advisers.
Aides warn that it is far too early for serious discussions, but Trump has indicated in conversations that he is interested in choosing a woman this time because of his falling out with his former Vice President Mike Pence.
Aides say Trump has little interest in choosing a vice president and views the role as a largely ceremonial one, far inferior to that of president, the source said.
But potential candidates like Noem realize it could still serve as a stepping stone to the top job.
Joe Biden and George HW Bush are among nine former vice presidents who later became president.
Noem, a former member of Congress, won a surprisingly narrow victory over a Democratic challenger in 2018 to become South Dakota’s first female governor
Long considered a potential White House candidate, Noem told the New York Times in November that she didn’t believe Trump offered “the best chance” for the party in 2024. She is pictured in Eagle Pass, Texas last month
Other names announced include: New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn. Florida Rep. Byron Donalds and Sen. Tim Scott were also mentioned.
Trump will be in Iowa, the first state on the GOP nomination calendar, on Saturday to attend the college football game between Iowa and Iowa State.
“We are focused on completing this primary and focusing on the general election,” said campaign spokesman Steven Cheung.
Long considered a potential White House nominee, Noem told the New York Times in November that she didn’t think Trump offered “the best chance” for the party in 2024.
She has since said she sees no point in joining the crowded field for the nomination given Trump’s dominance.
“I would do that in a heartbeat,” she told Newsmax when asked this week if she would consider joining a potential Trump ticket if asked.
“President Trump needs a strong partner if he’s going to take back the White House, and he needs someone who knows what it’s like to run a company, to be an employee, to earn a paycheck, but also to be a wife, a mother, etc ..” “A grandma isn’t bad either.”
It will be Trump’s first visit to South Dakota since the summer of 2020, when he headlined a July 4 fireworks display at Mount Rushmore on the eve of Independence Day.
The then-president had been looking for a place to start a new chapter after a summer of pandemic lockdowns and racial justice protests.
Noem’s event at Mount Rushmore was remarkably free of pandemic restrictions.
Trump’s decision to officiate the event in South Dakota underscores his dominance of the Republican race even as he faces four separate charges and 91 felonies
She also gave him a miniature replica of Mount Rushmore engraved with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt alongside him.
“I don’t know for sure,” Trump said Thursday when asked if Noem would support him. “But I’m going. I really like her. I think they are great. “Kristi did a great job.”
He has often praised her handling of the pandemic and said again on Thursday that she had done a “fantastic job.”
Noem, a former member of Congress, won a surprisingly narrow victory over a Democratic challenger in 2018 to become South Dakota’s first woman governor.
She rose to national fame for taking a largely cautious approach to the pandemic and echoing Trump’s calls for a return to normal life.
She easily won re-election last year despite performing worse in the polls than other Republicans.
President Donald Trump appears with South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem in Sioux Falls in September 2018
President Donald Trump speaks with Kristi Noem during a meeting at the White House in December 2018
Although Noem did not run for president, she continued to position herself nationally.
She was an outspoken supporter of the National Rifle Association, even boasting at a spring convention of the gun rights group that her one-year-old granddaughter “already owned firearms.”
She has also defended South Dakota’s abortion ban and will appear at a fundraiser in Michigan later this month in support of Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers.
During the first Republican presidential debate, she appeared in an ad to encourage businesses and families to relocate to what she calls “the freest state in America.”
Friday’s event is expected to draw protesters targeting both Trump and Noem, said Annie Bachand, CEO of South Dakota-based group Liberty & Justice for All.
“The reason we show up is to show other people that we are not alone,” Bachand said.
“Kristi Noem has spent more time campaigning than she has in South Dakota. She is more interested in her own interest than in taking care of the people of South Dakota.”
South Dakota GOP Chairman John Wiik said he expects about 7,000 people to attend the sold-out fundraiser.
The event was originally planned as a Lincoln Day-style fundraiser typically hosted by local Republican groups, Wiik said, but later evolved into a rally with proceeds benefiting the state party.
“At first I got a lot of questions,” Wiik said of Trump’s decision to travel to his state just as the primary season enters its traditional post-Labor Day rush.
“But the closer you look at it, the more Trump becomes a media event wherever he ends up,” Wiik said.
“He could have a rally on the moon and he would spread his word and reach just as many people, so I’m just glad he chose South Dakota.”