Kristi Noem Gives Her Reason For Not Joining GOP Primary Field

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said Donald Trump’s presence in the GOP primary prevents anyone else from having a chance to secure the presidential nomination, hinting it’s her reason for foregoing a 2024 presidential run.

In an interview with “Fox and Friends,” Noem took a jab at Trump’s opponents in the GOP primary.

“The fact is, none of them can win as long as Trump’s in the race. And that’s just the facts. So why run if you can’t win,” Noem said.

“I’ve probably run 10 statewide races. I’ve won them all. I’ve never lost. If I get into a race, I’m gonna win. So that’s just how we do it,” she continued.

“President Trump did some great things for our state and for our country. As governor, and everybody should be grateful for this, he let me do my job. When he was president, he let me do my job, and I appreciate that,” she added.

South Dakota GOP Gov. Kristi Noem said the reason she decided against competing for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination is simple: former President Donald Trump. https://t.co/PpGmr5IGJv

— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) August 10, 2023

The Hill reports:

Noem nodded to the crowded GOP presidential primary and, referring to Republican governors, said jokingly that it seems “almost all of them” are running for president.

Noem continued to praise Trump, who holds a commanding lead over his 2024 primary opponents, and hinted that she might endorse him when he visits South Dakota early next month.

Asked whether she will make an endorsement, Noem first talked about the excitement in South Dakota ahead of his rally, noting that tickets for the event sold out within the first day.

“He is inspirational. People always show up to hear something interesting,” Noem said. “And yeah, you’ll hear something from me, too.”

On whether she would accept the vice president spot if Trump tapped her as his running mate, she said, “You know, he hasn’t asked me, so we’ll cross that bridge — we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. I don’t really answer hypotheticals.”

“Trump currently maintains a 38-point lead over nearest rival Ron DeSantis in the RealClearPolitics polling average, earning 53.9% support to the Florida governor’s 15.9% while no other candidate commands double-digit support,” Just the News noted.

Kristi Noem on GOP primary: 'Why run if you can't win?' | Just The News https://t.co/49W2FUsQWk

— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) August 9, 2023

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