South Dakota State Senator District 32 Senator Helene Duhamel has tested positive fo COVID-19.
Duhamel, appointed to fill the vacant District 32 seat last December, was in Pierre for a gathering of Republican legislative leaders at the Governor’s Mansion Monday night and Gov Kristi Noem’s annual budget address on Tuesday.
She says she didn’t feel any symptoms in Pierre, but got tested after arriving back in Rapid City Wednesday morning. Other lawmakers were notified of her positive test later in the day.
Gov Noem posted a photograph on social media Wednesday of herself and Republican female legislators, including Duhamel, standing without masks inside the capitol.
Noem’s office says the governor isn’t at risk because she was not a close contact of Duhamel and continues to take the necessary precautions to protect herself and others against the coronavirus,”
The 58-year old Duhamel was a TV newscaster at her family-owned stations, since sold, for nearly 30 years and has been the public information officer for the Pennington County Sheriff’s office since 2017..