'She’s really a terrible person': South Dakotans weigh in on Kristi Noem’s latest flub

02 May 2024

South Dakota Republican Governor Kristi Noem quickly went from beloved by MAGA to side-eyed by many of her right-wing supporters when The Guardian shared a sneak peek last month into the GOP leader's upcoming book.

Days after the news outlet reported that the book, "No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong With Politics and How We Move America Forward," contains details Noem shooting and killing her own dog some years ago, she confronted backlash by doubling down on the story: "The fact is, South Dakota law states that dogs who attack and kill livestock can be put down. Given that Cricket had shown aggressive behavior toward people by biting them, I decided what I did," she wrote via social media.

Longtime South Dakota reporter Tom Lawrence wrote an op-ed for The Daily Beast, published Thursday, after speaking with several natives about how the story may, or may not have shifted their view of the state's leader.

"She’s really a terrible person; slowly since Trump won everyone realized how trashy and ambitious she is," one Republican told Lawrence.

"The fact that she has told this story repeatedly over the years is proof of her lack of understanding how truly offensive it is," the GOPer added.

US Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) was "sympathetic" to Noem, telling CNN, "Life is a little different in rural America… I know Kristi. And clearly, she handled that, I think, with as much humanity for the animal as was needed… but I would tell you that Kristi Noem was not the first or the one thousandth, you know, farmer or rancher that’s put down an animal themselves."

Lawrence emphasizes, "She is, however, the first one to write about it in a book that she hoped would propel her onto the national stage. Instead, it might send her back to Hamlin County, where there are lots of animals, guns, and gravel pits."

South Dakota Democratic Party Chair Shane Merrill told Lawrence he's unsurprised by Noem's actions.

"It’s hard to tell if this will have any effect on her political career, but it is basically more of the same, that we have seen since 2010,” Merrill said.

"Her time in elected office has been filled with bizarre happenings, distractions, and fabricated stories (particularly around election time). There’s no telling what these distractions have taken away from our state time and time again."

Lawrence's full op-ed is available here (subscription required).

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