While there are many Republican governors who have abandoned the fight against the Trump virus, instead choosing to embrace their cult leader, one such governor stands out in sheer ignominy: South Dakota Gov. and Sarah Palin-lite Kristi "Hell No" Noem. With her slavish desire to cater to con man and impeached one-termer Donald "COVID Donnie" Trump, Noem has placed her state near the top of COVID infection rates. She's chosen not to even issue mask mandates for the public, much less restrictions on businesses. Worse, her reckless refusal to cancel the super-spreader Sturgis stooges motorcycle rally last summer saw an increase of cases not only in her state but throughout the U.S., as reported in a study by San Diego State University. As The Guardian article reports:
"Coronavirus in South Dakota is running at an intensity only surpassed in the US by its neighbor North Dakota. The state has an alarming positivity rate of almost 60% – nearly six out of 10 people who take a Covid test are infected – second only to another neighbor, Wyoming.
Viewed through the lens of cases and deaths, South Dakota is also at the top of the league table. More than 66,000 South Dakotans have contracted the disease and at least 644 have died, a number likely to rise as hospitals reach breaking point.
Amid this devastating contagion, Noem is rigidly sticking to the strategy she has adopted since the pandemic began. It consists of a refusal to accept mask mandates and repeated denial of the science around the efficacy of wearing masks; resistance to imposing any restrictions on bars and restaurants; no limits on gatherings in churches or other places of worship; and no orders to stay at home." (our emphasis)
Her disregard for the lives of her constituents is exceeded only by her obvious national political ambitions. Mimicking Trump ad nauseam, she's looking to eventually rise to the national stage by inheriting his cult:
"One of her first acts as governor was to install a TV studio in her office for use in live interviews, a smart move given her frequent appearances in recent months on Fox News.
Her growing stature in Trump World attracted the attention last year of Corey Lewandowski, the pugnacious former campaign manager of Trump’s first presidential campaign in 2016. Lewandowski took Noem under his wing and spirited her away on a whirlwind tour of Trump campaign events this year, introducing her to Maga supporters across the country." (our emphasis)
While the Trump cult will undoubtedly embrace her, like they had earlier with Palin, the general public is likely to see her disastrous reign as governor as a disqualifier for national office, as they should.
