South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem on Friday endorsed former President Donald Trump’s bid for the White House in 2024, calling him “the fighter our country needs.”
Noem’s endorsement came during a South Dakota Republican rally headlined by the 77-year-old governor, intensifying speculation that the 51-year-old governor could be at the top of Trump’s list of potential 2024 running mates.
“You once made America great, let’s make it great again,” Noem said as she introduced Trump at the Rapid City rally.
“You have my full and complete endorsement for president of the United States of America. I will do everything I can to help you win and save this country,” he added, just before the former commander in chief took the stage.
Trump, the front-runner in the 2024 Republican primary, was enthusiastic about the endorsement and praised Noem during his speech, calling her “one of the most successful governors in the entire nation” and a “warrior for American values.”
Governor Kristi Noem welcomes former U.S. President and 2024 Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump to the stage during the South Dakota Republican Party Monumental Leaders rally in Rapid City, South Dakota, on the 8th September 2023. AFP via Getty Images
“Kristi, I am truly honored to receive your endorsement. A lot,” Trump said.
“It’s a great honor,” he said of receiving Noem’s endorsement. “Hers means a lot.”
Noem revealed that some of Trump’s top rivals were invited to attend Friday’s “Monumental Leaders Rally” but declined.
“They asked Tim Scott and he refused. Vivek [Ramaswamy] He was invited and he rejected us. He asked other candidates and they all told us they had better things to do,” Noem said.
“But when you invited President Trump to be with you tonight, he said, ‘I’ll be there.’”
Trump has a massive nearly 40-point lead in the GOP primary, according to the latest national polling average from RealClearPolitics.
Trump has a 40-point lead in the Republican race. AFP via Getty Images
Noem’s allies hoped her appearance alongside Trump would evoke the image of a presidential run, two senior Republicans familiar with her thinking told the Associated Press.
Several members of the crowd held signs reading “Trump/Noem 2024” as the president and governor gave their speeches.
Asked Thursday during an interview with Newsmax whether she would consider a theoretical opportunity to be Trump’s running mate, Noem responded: “Oh, absolutely.”
“I would do it in a heartbeat,” he added. “Just because you respect the position and the person who asks you to do something and then you see if you really believe you can make a difference.”
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem speaks during the South Dakota Republican Party Monumental Leaders rally on September 8, 2023.AFP via Getty Images
“Trump needs a strong partner if he wants to win back the White House,” he argued. “And he will need someone who knows what it’s like to run a business, to be an employee, to earn a salary, but also having a wife, a mother and a grandmother isn’t bad either. And I think that kind of perspective would influence many political decisions very well.”
The embattled former president faces a total of 91 charges in four criminal cases, and up to 712 years and six months behind bars if convicted of all of them.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn