Who is Kristi Noem? | The Hill

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) drew national attention last week when she detailed in her upcoming book how she shot and killed her family’s dog.

Noem came under intense scrutiny last month over his promotion at a Texas dental company, and the backlash over the anecdote clouded his chances as former President Trump’s running mate.

Here’s what you need to know about Kristi Noem.

Backlash for killing pet dog

South Dakota’s governor has since faced criticism. The Guardian newspaper reported In it, she revealed how she shot and killed her dog, Cricket, who was about 14 months old.

She said she shot a wirehaired pointer on her property while pheasant hunting. Noem said she “hated” her dog, which she blamed for attacking her neighbor’s chickens and trying to bite her.

She also talked about how she shot a “mean, mean” male goat that liked to sniff and chase children immediately after killing the dog.

A series of Democratic governors and conservatives Since then, he has strongly criticized Nomu’s admission.

Noem defended her actions on Sunday, saying, “In my upcoming book, No Going Back, I share some of the 20-year-old stories of Cricket, one of the dogs that work on our ranch. I understand why people are upset,” he wrote on Sunday. on social platform.

“This book is full of honest stories about my life, the good days, the bad days, the challenges, the tough decisions, and the lessons I learned.”

She believes this story teaches voters that she is “authentic, willing to learn from the past, and [doesn’t] Avoid difficult challenges. ”

Texas dental company sued for advertising

Noem faced other criticism in March after she posted a nearly five-minute video promoting dental treatment she received at Smile Texas. The video is styled like a commercial and features close-ups of Noem’s teeth and before-and-after shots of her smile.

She was later sued by consumer advocacy group Travelers United for acting like a social media influencer, violating consumer protection laws.

Despite the lawsuit and criticism, Noem later posted a video promoting the South Dakota business.

Noem’s political and personal career

Noem started as the No. 33 player for South Dakota.^rd In 2019, she became the first female governor of Mount Rushmore. She was re-elected to her second term in 2022 with the largest number of votes in state history. Said.

She took office as governor after serving eight years as a member of South Dakota’s U.S. House of Representatives. During her time on Capitol Hill, she focused on lowering taxes and advocating against government growth and secrecy, according to her office.

Prior to serving on Capitol Hill, Noem served as the 6th South Dakota House of Representatives.^th District from 2007 to 2011.

Noem married her husband Byron Noem in 1992, and the couple has three children: Cassidy, Booker, and Kennedy.

He is reportedly on President Trump’s list of vice presidential candidates.

Noem is one of several Republicans reportedly being considered by President Trump as a running mate in this year’s presidential election. She said she would accept being Trump’s running mate “in a heartbeat” if he asked.

When asked in February who he was considering as a running mate, the former president mentioned Noem and Sen. Tim Scott (R.C.).