Gov. Noem continues multi-state appearances for President Trump

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - Continuing on the campaign trail for President Donald Trump, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem slated to speak in Miami next week.

On Oct. 9, a Gov. Noem will be featured as the keynote speaker. Per usual, she will address her leadership during COVID-19 in South Dakota and the Constitution.

Noem has become a popular figure at Trump campaign events this year. In fact, Wisconsin is the 10th state she has visited in support of the president and other Republican lawmakers up for election.

Critics have pointed out she is paying more attention to national politics at a time coronavirus cases are surging in South Dakota. Her office previously refuted these sentiments, saying she is leveraging her national profile for the state’s benefit. Her office says the state is not paying for these campaign trips.

This trip comes right after the Oct. 5 special session Gov. Noem called to address state funding for the coronavirus. It’s unclear right now how long the special session will be.

The event is put on by the Convention of States Action in Florida. COSAction is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit that supports legislation to call a convention under Article V of the Constitution.

Though the organization supports a convention of states, South Dakota hasn’t successfully passed legislation in either the House or Senate. Legislation has passed in committees, however. In a recent attempt to apply Article V, House Bill 5001 narrowly failed, 37-32.

The multi-state tour has taken Noem to North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Georgia, Missouri, Oregon, Minnesota. She has upcoming campaign travel planned for Florida, New Hampshire, Montana, Iowa and Minnesota. Noem’s Communications Director said that state funds have not paid for Noem’s travels.The governor isn’t done campaigning, either.

He said dates for these visits have not been set, and that her schedule is “very fluid.”

Gov. Noem spoke in Hudson, Wisconsin Thursday. President Trump canceled a planned appearance in western Wisconsin amid calls from the city’s mayor and the state’s governor, both Democrats, that he not hold a rally amid a surge in coronavirus.