Governor Kristi Noem had her second inauguration this last weekend, and unfortunately, my plans to attend were somewhat scuttled.
After my wife traveling back and forth to Washington DC twice, both flying and in a vehicle each time over the last few weeks, plus slipping on the ice and straining her knee, everyone was tired, and a weekend at home ended up being an OK thing.
However, since we couldn’t go, the Inaugural committee was kind enough to send over my inaugural pins for the event, which was one of the main reasons I wanted to show up.
The 2023 Inaugural pin marks 90 years since South Dakota Inaugural pins started being issued for the event starting in 1933 and handed out for nearly every gubernatorial inauguration except for the 1943 Inaugural during World War II.
The Governor’s likeness started being included on the pin with the 1935 Tom Berry pin, after the 1933 pin just depicted a more politicized donkey’s head for the Democrat Governor.
Starting in 1999 with Governor Janklow, all pins issued by the Inaugural Committee since have also included the Governor’s spouse as part of the design.