South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem’s reelection campaign says she raised $8.5-million dollars last year, a record amount for a South Dakota gubernatorial candidate.
The Republican governor, who became a favorite of President Trump and conservatives with her support of him and opposition to COVID mandates and shutdowns, still has $7.3 million on hand across multiple committees.
The former congresswoman has both her in-state reelection campaign account and a federal political action committee seen by some as evidence she’s looking at a possible run for president.
Noem faces a primary challenge from State Representative Steve Haugaard, a former House Speaker who is running a campaign that’s trying to paint Noem as not conservative enough.
Haugaard’s most recent campaign finance filings are not yet available from the South Dakota Secretary of State’s office.