South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem makes VERY presidential swearing-in speech

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem appears to be showing her bona fides ahead of what is expected to be a competitive 2024 Republican presidential primary when she delivered her second inaugural address on Saturday.

Noem, who won re-election by 26 points, spoke before the speech, which included a reference to David Letterman’s famous ‘Top 10’ lists and discussed how his leadership can offer lessons for the rest of the country.

Asked on Saturday if he would not rule out a race in 2024, he replied that “it’s fair to say.” But there are a lot of people out there talking about running for president. I also know that politics change quickly and things change on a dime as to who will run and who won’t. I want the best person.

His presidential rivals will include Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whom his press secretary lashed out earlier this week, and former President Donald Trump, a Noem ally.

Noem did not commit to Trump’s presence in the race, but added that “we need a better president than Joe Biden,” whom he called “a disaster.”

The South Dakota governor spent eight years in the House of Representatives before running for state office.

It was previously rumored that he was plotting a challenge to NCR President Ronna McDaniel, but ended up not running.

Earlier this week, Noem’s communications director criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, suggesting the rising Republican star’s stance on abortion was too liberal.

“Governor Noem was the only US governor on national television to defend Dobbs’ decision,” adviser Ian Fury told the National Magazine for a story published Thursday. ‘Where was Governor DeSantis? Hiding behind a 15 week ban. Do you think that 14 week old babies have no right to live?

Communications director for South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (left) criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (right), suggesting the rising Republican star’s stance on abortion was too liberal

In April, DeSantis, considered one of the Republican Party’s top 2024 presidential candidates, signed a 15-week abortion ban in the Sunshine State.

Florida Republican state lawmakers defeated amendments that would have allowed exceptions in cases of rape, incest, human trafficking and mental health. according to the Tallahassee Democrat.

Exceptions are maintained for cases in which the life of the mother is at risk, there are fetal abnormalities or ‘irreversible physical deficiency’.

In December, after DeSantis up for re-election by about 20 points, the Florida Republican indicated he would be willing to sign even more restrictive abortion laws. The Orlando Sentinel reported.

In his note to National Review, Fury claimed that DeSantis “has just fired his pro-life AHCA secretary, Simone Martiller, the most pro-life member of his cabinet.”

Earlier this week, Noem’s communications director criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, suggesting the rising Republican star’s stance on abortion was too liberal.

In April, DeSantis, considered one of the Republican Party’s top 2024 presidential candidates, signed a 15-week abortion ban in the Sunshine State.

Martiller, now a former secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration, left the administration in November, with reports from Politico that his departure had to do with a new lobbying ban, not bad blood with the governor of Florida.

DeSantis’s office called the claim that Martiller was fired on bad terms “absolutely false.” according to FloridaPolitics.com.

“Florida Right to Life is embarrassed by Governor DeSantis’ record, so they have invited Governor Noem to speak at their annual conference in October 2021,” Fury said.

Fury then took to Twitter to attack the reporter he sent the message to, National Review’s Nate Hochman.

‘Nate is an accomplice of Governor DeSantis. He attacks Gov. Noem using the once-proud National Review headline because he sees her as a threat,” Fury said.

Noem has also been considered a rising Republican star.

At the Conservative Political Action Conference in February, attendees voted her No. 2, behind DeSantis, when former President Donald Trump was not in the mix, in the event’s annual presidential poll.

Of course, Trump has already announced a 2024 presidential bid.

However, recent polls have largely ignored Noem as a potential contender.

On the other hand the Average Real Clear Politics polls it includes Trump, who still has an 18.2 percent lead, and DeSantis, followed by former Vice President Mike Pence, the former UN ambassador. Nikki Haley, former Representative Liz Cheney, Sen. Marco Rubio, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan.

Besides Trump and DeSantis, every other candidate is voting in single digits.

When asked about Trump specifically on Saturday, Noem said foxnews “I still think he’s a good man and he has a good perspective on this and I think he’s going to be part of the conversation going forward.”