Last updated on 2013.02.16
Kristi Noem thinks the Nielson Brothers poll showing her losing handily to Stephanie Herseth Sandlin in a 2012 rematch is sufficiently valid to use in a fundraising pitch. Rush-Limbaugh-wannabe Shad Olson also lends credence to the Nielson Brothers poll to support his own contention that Noem is failing to live up to conservative expectations:
At a TEA Party breakfast appearance in Rapid City this week, Noem took a series of questions and comments from people wanting explanations for a passel of head scratching votes that followed GOP leadership into territory frequently unpopular with TEA Party faithful. She voted yes on continuing budget resolutions, approved the debt ceiling compromise and affirmed the creation of the super committee now locked in an irreconcilable deadlock that many believe supersedes the Constitution, itself. Not good.
While Noem offered largely strategic motivations as reasons for for those votes, TEA Party attendees were not to be so easily consoled. And the public at large appears restless with Noem's departure from her staunchly-positioned campaign messaging, as well.
Polling numbers show South Dakota voters are paying attention, and many don't like what they see. A survey two weeks prior to Noem's venture into West River South Dakota showed that if a theoretical election were held today, Noem would lose to Herseth-Sandlin [Shad Olson, "Kristi Noem: From Tea Party Darling to Bottom of the Class," no date given, downloaded 2011.10.03].
Conservative Olson matches my meanest commentary on our Congresswoman by asserting that the only thing saving Noem from harsher press is her pretty face. Olson labels her a "lithesome," "winsome" "ranch girl," all of which sound like rather degrading terms to apply to an adult professional (lithesome: "bending and moving with ease"? uh oh...). Seriously, if you were applying for a job, would you put any of those terms on your résumé?
Even conservatives are recognizing that Noem is all image and establishment ambition and no substance. Noem apparently hears the dissatisfaction among her strongest bastion of supporters. That's why she's spending so much time going to unpublicized meetings with fringe groups instead of holding open town halls for all of her constituents.
Do you think Cory with all this heat from the conservative side of the Republican party that she could be primaried for the Republican house nod in 2012? I am not thinking Howie, but maybe Rounds to get his name out there. If you listen to the boards at SDWC, they think Rounds will try to run in 2014 for the Senate to defeat Johnson/Democratic nominee. So why not try to get the house seat from a weakened Republican and as of now a weakened Democratic field. If Rounds would win in 2012, it would be an easier time to run for the Senate in 2014. In my mind, Rounds would win the primary against Noem in 2012 or 2014.
Cory, I have been trying to convince you that Kristi is your gal. All you have to do is get over the "R".
Steve but you were there supporting her in Mitchell. I still have the book you gave me to read. (which was a good read by the way)
Rounds will win when ever Rounds runs. Noem is a light weight propped up by Lauck and Nelson in Thune's office.
Noem will stay in the House in '14.
CH,
You are nothing if not consisitently inconsistent.
You have on the same page of your website KN is both a Tea Party Fanatic and a feckless moderate.
I guess this works if you live in a world "Republican/conservative is bad. Democrat/liberal is good." Not very intellectually vigorous or tolerant. . . .
Troy, isn't that the GOP operating style du jour? Looks to me like all of them are trying to wear both hats, depending on who they're talking to (...except maybe Jon Huntsman, the only sane one I've seen in a while — present company excluded of course.)
Troy, the problem is not mine, it's Kristi's. She can't figure out or enunciate what she is. She's trying to wear both of the hats of which Bill speaks, and she's wearing them both poorly. The only consistent interest I can discern from Noem's votes and actions is a lust for power, perhaps quite devoid of sincerely held ideology.
And Sibby, quit brewing mumbledypeg. Kristi Noem is not my gal.
Mr. Mack, interesting question. The calculus doesn't feel right: Rounds doesn't need a boost from a House term that much. Noem may not need that much help to hold her seat in a hard anti-Obama year, unless the Dems candidates really pour on the heat. The GOP may not see merit in throwing Noem overboard this soon. I'd love to see such a challenge, but I'd need more persuading to believe that serious Republicans would see profit in it.