Polling group says Kristi Noem most popular politician in South Dakota

39 thoughts on “Polling group says Kristi Noem most popular politician in South Dakota”

1. The Dakota Scout story was much better. They noted that Skjonsberg pushed back because Jackley wasn’t included, which is telling (the Rounds reaction, not the Jackley omission).

   The ’26 games have begun!

   1. Is Skjonsberg still with Rounds? Or is he the officiall-unofficial spokesman?

      1. Rob has been “with” Round for over 20 years. His title doesn’t really matter.

2. What a dumb survey. No crosstabs. It’s not even newsworthy. Someone paid for it to make themselves look strong. Hmmm. I wonder who looked strong in the survey???

   It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know Kristi dominates GOP politics in SD but I doubt she is up on Rounds or Dusty by more than 10-15%.

   1. “I doubt she is up on Rounds or Dusty by more than 10-15%”

      But I bet you believed the SDSU poll about the governor’s race back in October.

      1. The SDSU poll was a bad poll. No one in their right minds believed the SDSU poll. Jamie Smith was never the Billie.

         In ’18 it was obvious she had problems because Thune, Daugaard, Jackley, Rounds and Pence came to her rescue. Nothing like that happened in ’22.

         It was likely she would win easily.

         1. Oh you mean 2018 when Jackley and Krebs ran late primary against her? Wasn’t that the same year that everyone you named was late to the game? Just late enough to say they “supported” her election bid?

3. Skjonsberg is dead right. “Without seeing cross tabs, whoever released this poll, clearly didn’t want to show all their cards. That usually means that they have some soft spots,” Rounds’ campaign spokesman Rob Skjonsberg told The Dakota Scout following media reports of the poll Monday. “There is one glaring omission — Marty Jackley. I wouldn’t bet against Marty and I definitely wouldn’t rule him out. And, Mike Rounds has never been beat. So there’s that.”

   Rounds casts the looming shadow. Dusty, Russ, Jackley, Tenhaken and Rounds will not run against each other. That would give a conservative outsider a lane to win the nomination with the 30-35% they could get.

   1. the little fly in that ointment is that the conservative outsider always comes off as the latest version of gordon howie: grinding that old axe.

   2. i think it’s wrong to consider gov noem “a conservative outsider” in such a race, if anything it has been proven that a former gov has the best shot of anyone in such a race. obviously the freedom caucus considers noem and trump to be their champions, but the dynamic seems to run the other way – i.e. trump and noem are happy to have the freedom caucus as their cozy fan club and be lionized by them for as long as they want to be part of it all.

4. Governor Odenbach sounds like a possibility if these games continue.

   1. About as possible as Governor John Dale.

   2. Odenbach is one of the most disliked legislators in Pierre. He’s a legend in his own mind.

      1. Offenbach is one of the most disliked people in the entire state. He, Jon Hansen, Tom Pischke, Jason Ravnsborg, Julie Frye-Mueller, Neal Tapio, Sue Peterson, and Taffy Howard should start their own little parade of horribles support group.

         1. Don’t forget Tina Mallaly.

   3. He would need a step stool because of his wee little legs. Maybe a ladder.

   4. Governor Odenbach?

      Chill out, Matthew Monfore.

5. These polls are interesting yet meaningless because so much can change in politics in a short period of time. The poll obviously focuses on current statewide elected officials, but I hear a lot of talk around the state about other candidates positioning themselves for the 2026 primary. I personally know of at least two senators and three representatives who are talking to people about running for governor or U.S. Senate.

   1. Mortenson, Karr, Venhuizen, Odenbach, Crabtree, Hansen, Howard round out that short list of legislators.

      1. That’s very interesting because I only had two of those on my list. Karr and Crabtree don’t have the intellect and credibility, but that has never stopped an ambitious politician.

      2. Odenbach and Hansen couldn’t even get elected by their own caucus. I say Haugaard & Howard.

         1. Hansen’s conservative colleagues all believe they were let down by his lack of focus, work ethic and didn’t have a strategy to win.

            He lost to the elderly Hugh Bartels. It’s not exactly confidence instilling for a run for governor.

6. ’26 might have the makings of 1986 all over again. Mickelson eaked it out against Hansen, Kundert and Roberts.

   They left Mickelson off the list also. In a race of 4 or 5 people he could get 30%.

   1. Mickelson’s plural

7. This is a Noem poll all long. While Jackley will never win a governors race, he should have been included. Rounds is a good man, but he’s now been around long enough that it’s time to hand over the reigns.

   1. far from it. rounds’ work in the senate has kept him at the cutting edge of the nation’s national defense and defense tech issues. this state doesn’t really have anyone else as capable, connected and as ready for national level leadership as rounds. his handing reigns to anyone, wouldn’t be much above simply dropping them. he can keep holding them.

8. I don’t get it. Image and appearance are important in establishing a “brand” and a reputation. The Governor’s new official picture on her website has her in sunglasses and blue jeans, hair extensions and dangling earrings, shaking hands with an unseen person. What message is this picture sending. “Just on my way to dart league and thought I’d drop by and say hello”??? I realize I expect too much, or at least something more formal and traditional, in my elected leaders but all this informality seems patronizing.

   1. You folks want someone who’s real, then feel patronized whenever a politician acts real. You need to realize that your visceral reaction to what she is wearing in a picture should mean absolutely nothing. We are so spoiled in South Dakota to have such trivial problems. Our Governor wears ballcaps and works in the dirt, get over it Nancy.

      1. Well said

      2. Lolol “works in the dirt” lololol

         It’s a costume.

         1. DFP minion

9. Clearly put out by someone trying to help Kristi.

   The lack of cross tabs makes the whole thing rather suspect.

   Looks like Kristi is trying to force Mike Rounds out of the Senate so she can have a clean shot. M
   I doubt he’s afraid of her.

   1. This is how Stephanie and Billie find their way back. Infighting.

10. OBVIOUSLY. She is the standard-bearer for what Conservative leadership should look like in America. She’s basically DeSantis with bigger balls. I have dozens of new neighbors that moved here for one reason and one reason only, and it sure as he’ll wasn’t Doting Dusty or Mild Mike.

    1. “mild mike” lol. he’s a velvet glove over brass knuckles is what he is. dusty, more like a wiffle bat stuffed with concrete and rebar. but think what you like lol.

       1. Mike Rounds is lukewarm water with a lemon wedge. Dusty is a bad mammajamma so long as he has his eyes affixed on his next office. Both only have as much guts as their handlers allow them to have, whereas nobody can ‘handle’ our Governor.

          1. i beg to differ. again, think what you like, you seem to have put a lot of thought into this, contrary to any real evidence of their abilities and performance.

11. She is 4th on the list if you ask anyone that is in the arena. And not close except in her mind. It takes relationships, and she has none anymore.

    1. Sorry, just because you don’t like her doesn’t mean actual reality bends to your personal feelings. I know that’s how Democrats like to think, but on this site we like to keep honest.

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