An Upstate New York “Noem For President” sign raises eyebrows and perhaps hopes

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - Approximately 1,651.4 miles from Rapid City, nestled in a small enclave of Upstate New York, is the city of Watertown.

With a population of 27,000 and located 30 miles from Canada, Watertown is known as the “birthplace of the five and dime,” and more notably as the city that is home to the City Car Freshener Corporation and their iconic “Little Trees” air fresheners that can be found in cars worldwide.

Now Watertown, N.Y. has one more accolade to add to its notability. An eagle-eyed South Dakotan travelling for work in Watertown, stumbled across a small taste of his home-state in the unlikeliest of places: Someone has set out a large sign in the little city that seems like an unofficial designation of Governor Kristi Noem as a presidential candidate for the 2024 election.

It is improbable that Watertown, N.Y. will be the headquarters for a Noem 2024 campaign run.

We reached out to the Governor’s headquarters in Pierre and were told that although they were aware of the hopeful banner, it is not affiliated in any way with the Governor or any official campaigns. She has, in fact, stated on multiple occasions that she has no intention of running for President.

Time will tell.

Meanwhile, It seems that Governor Noem, a steady but polarizing figure in South Dakota, has quite the far-reaching fan-base.