Noem on potentially being Trump VP: 'I just want him to win'

Mar. 13—MITCHELL — It is a question on the mind political operatives around the United States: Should Gov. Kristi Noem land the position of the vice presidential candidate on a ticket with Donald Trump when he runs for a second term as president later this year?

The question was also on the mind of Grace Hempel, a junior at Mitchell High School, who was on hand with dozens of others for the governor's signing of two education bills Wednesday morning in the school library.

When Noem called on Hempel as part of the town hall portion of the signing event, Hempel was ready with the hot-button topic.

"Any comment on whether you plan on being vice president?" Hempel asked the governor, the question causing Noem to smile and a round of laughter to rise up from the audience.

Noem has long been considered a potential vice presidential candidate if the former one-term president elected to run for a second term. While no official selection has been made yet by Trump, Noem has remained a loyal supporter and hopes that the former Republican president will return to the White House. Trump during a TV interview confirmed Noem is under consideration as a potential VP selection.

"I don't know. You know, my answer used to be that President Trump and I had never talked about it," Noem said. "We've talked about it, and what I've told him is that I'll do whatever it takes for me to help him win."

Noem said she much preferred working with Trump when he was president over working with Joe Biden, who was elected to the office in 2020. She said Trump helped her fix what she saw as problems at the federal level, such as with OSHA issuing fines to South Dakota businesses. She said working under Trump was like working on offense, while the Biden administration has forced her to be "on defense."

It's clear that it will be Trump and Biden on the ballot in November, and Noem said she will continue to support Trump. Though she said she remains happy working for the people of South Dakota as governor.

"I just want (Trump) to win, because it's clear that it's going to be a race between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, and I'll do what I can to help him win," Noem said. "I'd rather stay with all of you, though, if you'll keep me. This is my favorite job. I love this job. You guys are wonderful. And I just bought a new horse and I'm really hoping I get a chance to ride him once in a while."

Other names that have been

raised as potential vice presidential candidates

include Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Arizona senate candidate Kari Lake, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Texas governor Greg Abbott, among others.