Tulsi Gabbard, Gov. Glenn Youngkin rally for South Dakota's Kristi Noem as Election Day nears
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
With six days left until Election Day, Gov. Kristi Noem relied on the help of two out-of-state friends during two campaign re-election rallies Wednesday in Sioux Falls.
During the events held at the Military Heritage Alliance, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and former Hawaiian Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard spoke about Noem’s courage in leadership, policy decisions and more.
Noem acknowledged the race between her and Democratic challenger Rep. Jamie Smith was close “because of people that have lived here forever who are taking our freedom for granted.”
Smith is currently on a six-day RV trip around the state for his campaign, and will have a rally of his own Monday in Sioux Falls.
Noem criticized Smith’s voting record while serving in the state legislature when it came to education and COVID-19 responses like masks and vaccines.
Throughout the events, Youngkin and Gabbard also took turns talking about the dangers of South Dakotans electing a Democrat to the governor’s office. A Democrat hasn’t served as governor in South Dakota since 1979.
“Elections have consequences,” Youngkin said. “For South Dakota, the consequences will be dire if you do not re-elect Kristi Noem to be your governor.”
More:Emerson College/The Hill poll shows Kristi Noem with big lead in South Dakota governor's race
Youngkin told attendees at the afternoon rally that they could only trust Noem to protect their children’s education, not raise their taxes and stand with law enforcement.
Issues of education and taxes are part of Youngkin’s “kitchen table topics” he has stressed throughout his visits to GOP gubernatorial campaigns for the past week. Youngkin spoke Monday in New York for Rep. Lee Zeldin, who is running against Gov. Kathy Hochul. Following the Noem rally, he was off to Oklahoma to stump for Gov. Kevin Stitt.
Gabbard, who was at a rally for Noem in Rapid City earlier Wednesday, brought a personal touch to her speech. The two served together in the U.S. House of Representatives and met at the gym.
Gabbard was the former Democratic Representative to Hawaii as well as a 2020 Democratic presidential primary candidate. In early October, she announced she was leaving the Democratic Party because she felt the party was becoming too extreme.
“The threats to our freedoms right now are not coming from foreign countries, they’re coming from leaders in Washington who are abusing their power and seeking to undermine our fundamental values and rights that are enshrined in the Constitution,” Gabbard told attendees about why she left the party.
During the evening rally, Gabbard spoke about the governor’s courage and leadership the past few years, when South Dakota faced natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gabbard warned of what could happen if Smith was elected instead of Noem.
“You’ll end up with someone who ends up opening the doors wide open to whatever the Democratic leadership in Washington wants to enforce here in South Dakota,” she said as a small number of attendees shouted “no.”
Gabbard said she was getting “teary-eyed” speaking about how proud she was of Noem standing up to adversity.
“She made those tough decisions for you,” Gabbard said. “She recognized that in these times of trials and tribulations, strong leaders must step up and lead. That’s who Kristi is, she leads with her heart. She fights for you like she fights for her own family.”
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Glenn Youngkin, Tulsi Gabbard help Kristi Noem campaign in Sioux Falls
