New polling shows Gov Noem’s approval increasing, challengers face big hurdles.

@SoDakCampaigns

South Dakota News Watch is noting this evening that a recent poll shows good news for Governor Kristi Noem as her level of support from South Dakotans is increasing in comparison to last year. And bad news for those who have aspirations to run against her:

The poll of 500 registered voters conducted in late October showed that a majority of South Dakotans support the governor’s performance, with an average of 61.2% of respondents strongly or somewhat in approval of her performance across five topic areas

and..

Noem’s performance ratings in the October 2021 poll rose in comparison with a similar News Watch/Chiesman Center poll conducted in October 2020, near the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Dakota. At that time, 53.8% of respondents overall were strongly or somewhat approving of Noem’s performance, while 40.9% were strongly or somewhat disapproving.

and..

Wiltse said the apparent effort by Haugaard to label Noem as not conservative enough is unlikely to help him prevail in the GOP primary.

Read the entire story right here.

As Governor Noem’s popularity rises with more people viewing her as being gubernatorial, it makes it that much tougher of an uphill slog for those who think they can run against her. Especially when she’s playing on a field that few can touch.

And let’s be realistic. Governor Noem on the stump in front of a crowd is tough to compete against. She’s one of the best campaigners that I’ve ever seen.

Democrats can’t find someone who thinks they can compete at this point. Steve Haugaard is nice enough, but is not what I would consider charismatic. You also have Lora Hubbel running who is just plain awful, but I don’t think we’ll see her on the ballot.

I think the poll and the level of competition illustrates that the ship has sailed at this point, with Governor Noem firmly at the wheel.  And those who wanted to drive the boat are still on the docks wondering what happened.

25 thoughts on “New polling shows Gov Noem’s approval increasing, challengers face big hurdles.”

  1. Told ya so. She is not popular in regards to her handling of the marijuana issue. Even though she used state funds to prop up her image on this subject with television ads… for months. (Now you know why.)

    In a campaign – marijuana, nepotism and staff turnover issues could pull her overall numbers down, with quality advertising. It would be effective because it’s about the arrogance of power.

    I believe that she is also much more vulnerable on her Covid response than polling numbers suggest currently. She could have saved hundreds of lives without negatively impacting the economy. Demonstrating that with an ad campaign would not be difficult.

    1. Elk, I think you’re assuming a lot in an environment where Democrats don’t have a candidate. Negative campaigning isn’t going to mean a thing if they don’t have sufficient name ID.

      I was just talking to a group of prospective candidates about this recently that Negative campaigning doesn’t win you votes, but drives down the other person’s turnout. If no one knows who you are, you can hammer the incumbent all you want, but it won’t make a dent.

      1. I don’t disagree with much of that, Pat. She has to have an opponent like Sutton, with plenty of donors, to be at risk in South Dakota. I doubt she can be taken out on the right flank but could be weakened going into the general election.

        My point is… she is at some risk… SHOULD that person arise.

        Does negative campaigning win you votes? It can. But it has be believable to the voter and timing is important. As you know, some campaigns are terribly negative on both sides and end up with a high turnout overall.

        1. I’m not sure I would agree that she is vulnerable on her Covid response — only to those who weren’t supporting her in the first place. On the other issues, possibly… but only if there is a well-funded candidate who can point those issues out. As of now, she wins handily. Sutton isn’t running, and they have no other credible candidate at this point.

      2. Negative campaigning worked for Kristi Noem…./www.thepublicopinion.com/story/opinion/2018/10/19/he-negative-effects-of-going-negative/44887009/

    1. And the polls were very accurate since she won the popular vote. Why do you guys keep touting this line like it proves anything?

  3. “Noem did not fare as well on her handling of marijuana legalization, with only 39.2% of respondents strongly or somewhat in approval, and 17.8% somewhat disapproving and 33.4% strongly disapproving of her performance.”

    Haugarrd has his wedge issue, right here. Problem is he’s also anti-personal freedom.

      1. Indeed it does. I’m rather surprised this went right over your head. Will be hard to miss on Tuesday.

  5. Is the marijuana issue really that important to anybody? Because now everybody who really wants legal weed can get a medical card and come November, they will be too apathetic to vote.
    Because that’s what weed does, it makes you apathetic, (for those of you who have never used it, it induces apathy similar to the effect of Demerol.) Once all the advocates are stoned, their voter turnout will plummet, and no amount of negative TV ads will get them to care. They’ll stay home. The marijuana industry has created it’s own self-induced voter suppression; that probably explains how marijuana came to be prohibited in the first place.

    1. Wow Anne that is a huge load of garbage. Why should people need to jump through hoops and potentially drive all the way across the state to use a substance when the majority voted for adults to be able to use it legally?

      Your second paragraph is essentially 100% false.

      1. no I used the stuff: it creates the euphoria of morphine and the apathy of demerol, which makes it ideal for patients in hospice.
        But it also causes you to eat everything you can get your hands on. I ate an entire Sara Lee cheesecake, with cherries, all in one sitting. Another time it was a half gallon of Breyer’s ice cream, and there was an unknown number of pounds of bananas and a can of Hershey’s syrup.
        The munchies were the reason I quit using it, many years ago.
        So now I think it’s funny a new generation thinks it’s cool to do the same stupid shit their grandparents did in the sixties.

  6. Saddens me how all these Republican Governors spend spend spend, just like they were Democrat Governors

  8. There is no way this is an accurate poll, I don’t see her popularity gaining at all. She hasn’t done anything well to gain in popularity. All I hear is her spending on herself, fundraising around the country, and scandal after scandal.

  9. Strange times we live in where South Dakota Democrats obsessed with Marijuana, not motivated enough to have their own candidate are all behind Lora Hubbel.

    Pat any campaign material orders yet for tinfoil Hubbel campaign hats yet?

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