South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem delivers VERY Presidential inauguration speech

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem appeared to be showing off her good faith ahead of what is expected to be a competitive Republican presidential primary in 2024 as she delivered her second inaugural address on Saturday.

Noem, who won re-election by 26 points, spoke before the speech, which included a reference to David Letterman’s famous “Top 10” lists, and discussed how her leadership can teach lessons to the rest of the country.

She was asked on Saturday if she wasn’t ruling out a run in 2024 and replied: “That’s fair to say. But there are a lot of people out there who are talking about running for president. I also know that politics changes quickly and things change on the fly as to who runs and who doesn’t. I want the best person.’

Her presidential rivals include Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — whom her press secretary fought fiercely earlier this week — and former President Donald Trump, a Noem ally.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem appeared to be showing off her good faith ahead of what is expected to be a competitive Republican presidential primary in 2024 as she delivered her second inaugural address on Saturday

Noem was noncommittal about Trump’s presence in the race, but added that “we need a better president than Joe Biden,” whom she called “a disaster.”

South Dakota’s governor spent eight years in the House of Representatives before running for state office.

It had previously been rumored that she was planning a challenge for RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel but ended up not running.

Earlier this week, Noem’s communications director jabbed at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, suggesting that the rising Republican’s abortion stance was too liberal.

“Governor Noem was the only governor in America on national television to defend the Dobbs decision,” aide Ian Fury told National Review for a story published Thursday. “Where was Governor DeSantis? Is hiding behind a 15-week ban. Does he think 14 week old babies have no right to life?’

South Dakota communications director Kristi Noem (left) snarled at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (right) and suggested that the Republican rising star’s stance on abortion was too liberal

In April, DeSantis — who ranks as the top GOP presidential contender for 2024 — signed a 15-week abortion ban in the Sunshine State.

According to the Tallahassee Democrat, the Florida Republican state legislature rejected changes that would have allowed exceptions in cases of rape, incest, human trafficking and mental health.

Exceptions have been retained for cases where the mother’s life is at risk, they exist fetal abnormalities or “irreversible physical impairment”.

In December, after DeSantis advanced to re-election by about 20 points, the Florida Republican indicated he was ready to sign even more restrictive abortion legislation, The Orlando Sentinel reported.

In his note to National Review, Fury claimed DeSantis “just quit his anti-life secretary for AHCA, Simone Marstiller, the most anti-life member of his cabinet.”

Earlier this week, Noem’s communications director jabbed at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, suggesting that the rising Republican’s abortion stance was too liberal

In April, DeSantis — who ranks as the top GOP presidential contender for 2024 — signed a 15-week abortion ban in the Sunshine State

Marstiller, now the former secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration, left the administration in November, with Politico reporting that her departure had to do with a new lobbying ban, not bad blood with the Florida governor.

The DeSantis office called the claim that Marstiller was fired on poor terms “absolutely false,” according to FloridaPolitics.com.

“Florida Right to Life is embarrassed by Governor DeSantis’ record, so they invited Governor Noem to speak at their annual conference in October 2021,” Fury said.

Fury later took to Twitter to attack the reporter he sent the message to, National Review’s Nate Hochman.

“Nate’s a jerk to Governor DeSantis. He’s attacking Governor Noem with the once-proud National Review imprint because he sees her as a threat,” Fury said.

Noem is also considered a Republican climber.

At the Conservative Political Action Conference in February, attendees voted her No. 2 in the president’s annual straw poll, after DeSantis when former President Donald Trump was absent.

Of course, Trump has already announced a presidential candidacy for 2024.

However, recent polls have largely ignored Noem as a potential competitor.

Instead, the Real Clear Politics poll average includes Trump — who still has an 18.2 percent lead — and DeSantis, followed by former Vice President Mike Pence, the former UN ambassador. Nikki Haley, former Rep. Liz Cheney, Senator Marco Rubio, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, and former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan.

In addition to Trump and DeSantis, all other candidates are in the single digits.

When asked about Trump specifically on Saturday, Noem told Fox News, “I still think he’s a good man and a good prospect for it, and I think he’s going to be part of the conversation going forward.”