South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has been a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump for years, and now she is calling on her fellow Republicans to unite and back Trump for the GOP nomination.
We were told that as the field shrinks, the polls would narrow. Well… the field has been shrinking, and support for President Trump has been growing, now sitting at over 50% (Up from 43% in Oct).
It's time to unite behind President Trump and focus all our efforts and…
— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) December 11, 2023
Noem initially endorsed Trump back in September at a rally in Rapid City, South Dakota, but she has supported the former president for many years. There are even some who believe Noem could be Trump’s running mate in 2024.
“He is a man of significance. He is the leader, the fighter that our country needs. He has my full and complete endorsement for president of the United States of America. I will do everything I can to help him win and save this country,” Noem said as she introduced Trump during the rally in September.
As the Iowa caucuses loom nearer, the narrative given by any GOP candidate not named Trump was that the polls would narrow as the field shrank. The field has narrowed, but Trump’s lead in the GOP primary has continued to grow.
As of this writing numerous GOP candidates have dropped out of the race including former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. Trump’s lead nationally, according to the 538 average poll, currently stands at 49.5 points over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, his closest competition.
Noem’s plea to the party is to embrace what looks to be an eventuality, that Donald Trump will be the GOP nominee in 2024. She wants the party to unite under one candidate so that they can go after President Biden instead of each other.
Even former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has recently endorsed Trump. Speaking on the CBS show “Sunday Morning,” McCarthy was asked if he believed Trump would be the Republican nominee.
“Yes. In the Republican Party? Yes. And if Biden stays as the nominee for the Democrats, I believe Donald Trump will win. I believe the Republicans will gain more seats in the House and the Republicans will win the Senate,” McCarthy responded.
McCarthy was then asked if he was endorsing Trump to which he replied, “I will support the president. I will support President Trump.”
