Kristi Noem
Governor of South Dakota since 2019 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Kristi Lynn Noem (/noʊm/; née Arnold; born November 30, 1971) is an American politician who has served since 2019 as the 33rd governor of South Dakota. A member of the Republican Party, she was the U.S. representative for South Dakota's at-large congressional district from 2011 to 2019, and a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives for the 6th district from 2007 to 2011.
Kristi Noem | |
---|---|
33rd Governor of South Dakota | |
Assumed office January 5, 2019 | |
Lieutenant | Larry Rhoden |
Preceded by | Dennis Daugaard |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Dakota's at-large district | |
In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2019 | |
Preceded by | Stephanie Herseth Sandlin |
Succeeded by | Dusty Johnson |
Member of the South Dakota House of Representatives from the 6th district | |
In office January 9, 2007 – January 3, 2011 | |
Preceded by | Art Fryslie |
Succeeded by | Burt Tulson |
Personal details | |
Born | Kristi Lynn Arnold (1971-11-30) November 30, 1971 (age 52) Watertown, South Dakota, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse |
Bryon Noem (m. 1992) |
Children | 3 |
Residence | Governor's Residence |
Alma mater | South Dakota State University (BA) |
First elected governor in 2018, Noem is South Dakota's first female governor. During the 2018 election, she was endorsed by President Donald Trump. As governor, Noem rose to national prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic over her refusal to issue a statewide mandate to wear face masks. In February 2024, Trump said that Noem was on his shortlist of potential running mates.[1]
Living in rural South Dakota, Noem is also a farmer and a rancher.[2] She published her first autobiography, Not My First Rodeo: Lessons from the Heartland, in 2022.[3] In her second autobiography, No Going Back, Noem recounted an incident in which she shot and killed her young dog because she considered the dog "untrainable" after it killed another family's chickens.[4][5] Responding to widespread criticism, she argued that she was a "responsible owner" who made a tough decision.[5][6]