David Montgomery reports that national conservative groups don't see Rep. Kristi Noem as their knightress in shining armor to challenge M. Michael Rounds in the Senate primary. But Bill Napoli does:
Former state senator Bill Napoli, who is considering challenging Rounds himself, said Noem isn’t a “hard-core conservative” but that she votes and acts conservative and has conservative beliefs.
“She’d be head over heels better than Mike Rounds,” Napoli said [David Montgomery, "Some conservative groups down on Noem as Rounds challenger," Political Smokeout, 2013.05.23].
Napoli illustrates how well Noem has bewitched his conservative pals: they are so busy tacking her Photoshopped portrait on their bedroom walls and listening to her talk about bang-bangs and big meanies in Washington that they don't notice all the pork she votes for. As professorial pundit Jon Schaff notes in Montgomery's post, Noem manages to play well with the establishment while keeping the Tea Party on her leash. (Montgomery also gets Professor Schaff to use "Kristi Noem" and "straddles" in the same sentence, likely sending Montgomery's Google juice through the roof.)
Napoli makes clear that talk about his running against Rounds is just talk, and that he's throwing his hopes behind Noem:
But Napoli warned that waiting too long could cost Noem.
“I hope she doesn’t wait until too much time has gone by, but I would like to see her run for that seat,” he said.
If Noem waits too long, “a lot of people will have committed to other candidates,” Napoli said. “I think that might really affect her race” [Montgomery, 2013.05.23].
Evidently Napoli didn't get the memo from his Rapid City theocrat pals. If he were running, he wouldn't be encouraging Noem to hurry up and get in. If Napoli has any inkling to challenge Rounds on RINO grounds, he appears to see himself only as a back-up player behind his preferred candidate, Kristi Noem.
When do the scorecards and grassroots tea party conservatives come out and call Napoli a sellout to conservative values for supporting Noem (the mirror image of Rounds)? It's time for another tea party down sizing where they excommunicate more impure members. Anyone want to wager how bad these folks dislike smilin' mike? This isn't about issues anymore.
(and are Napoli and Howie the best Montgomery can do when finding an anti Rounds quote?)
If Napoli or anyone else decides to get in this race funding won't be an issue. And Constitutionalist Republicans like me want someone in that seat that will work with them instead of treating them like the enemy. Kristi Noem may not be quite as conservative as some but she is definitely more conservative by far than Rounds and has proven her willingness to work with Constitutionalists like Ron Paul in Congress.
Conservatives have been treated poorly in this state by Rounds' and his crew. Conservative Republicans have been thrown out of caucus. Conservative lawyers have been reprimanded for petty issues while Brian Gosch is allowed to thumb his nose at election laws without so much as a slap on the wrist. And when Rounds was in office he fought every attempt at open government. Clearly he believes in a Closed Door philosophy and doesn't think the citizens of this state have any right to know the actions of their government.
We have reached a critical juncture in the history of freedom for our country and our state. It is imperative that we change the makeup of the Senate if we are going to protect our freedoms. It should scare anyone that the IRS is targeting people of a particular stripe and that reporting the news is now a criminal act. We as a people have a decision to make - will we allow the destruction of the liberties our nation was founded on.. or will we fight for our freedoms and save our country.
There are many possible paths ahead of us and most of them end in the loss of our freedoms. Kristi Noem can beat Rounds, and Kristi Noem can beat any Democratic opponent. And if she becomes a member of the U.S. Senate she will work with the Constitutionalist members of the Senate to restore the balance of powers and protect our Constitutional rights.
Bree, well said. Kristi must run for Senate. The republic needs more conservatives in the Senate urgently, than in the House and it will be easier to find a good conservative candidate for the House seat. Her style is well suited for the Senate as well. I just can't imagine why John Thune is not publically calling for her to run for Senate. Maybe we could get Cory to run for House under the Atheist Secular Socialist (ASS) banner. Wouldn't it be just a blast to see a debate between Cory and Napoli?
Let's review the previous 2 comments.
Noem is not as conservative as some would like. She "must run for the Senate," however, because the "Senate needs more conservatives."
Ed wants Napoli to run for the House because "it will be easier to find a good conservative candidate for the House seat."
It doesn't take much reading between the lines to see that Ed and his crew, despite their bluster, know that Napoli doesn't have a chance against Rounds.
Oh, by the way Ed, what's conservative or Christian about your little acronym, New Testament book, chapter, and verse please. Luke 6:28 tells me it may be conservative but it's not Christian.
The start of this race is all about the timing. When candidate X announces they are running, they are going to have to put together a campaign quickly and hit the ground running. They are going to have to strike their opponents hard and fast.
This isn't just about the senate race, it could also be about the house seat or the Governor's chair.
Do BS and Randazzo realize that one of Kristi's closest friends is Brian Gosch? What are you guys smoking to think she actually agrees with your politics over Gosch?
If Rounds and Noem clash I predict Kristi looks like a hypocrite and voters are dumbfounded by her allegations against Rounds. Rounds wins the primary but Stephanie wins the general (which would make Randazzo and BS happy.)
Best thing that could happen to the SDDP is an open house seat and a senate fight. Bring it on!
US Senate and House may need more real conservatives, but they need more retrograde obstructionist GOP like a boar pig needs a dozen more teats.
Bree, horsepuckey. Kristi Noem couldn't even define "Constitutionalist" for you. She's just an opportunist. Now I guess if you think you'll have more opportunity to get your ideology and associated voting agenda a hearing with Noem, that's an open question. But if you think she actually holds an ideology closer to yours than Rounds does, you are mistaken.
Kal Lis has it figured out: Ed and Bill are making clear that Gordon and Bob's April trial balloon for a Napoli Senate run turned quickly to lead, not gold. Good thing Gordon and Bob buffered their "reliable sources" with a lot of "seems" and "appears".
And Ed, I would love the opportunity to meet Mr. Napoli and discuss South Dakota issues with an audience. It could be an educational experience for everyone watching. I'm around through June: let's get together, pick some topics, and invite the public. I'll bet we draw a bigger crowd than the last Tea Party rally.
MC: on timing: Noem won that way before, announcing third, in February, taking on a confident party favorite and a Tea Party-flavored challenger. She likes that narrative; she might be waiting to play it again. If Stace Nelson jumps in first to challenge Rounds, the probability of her jumping into the race rises above 90%... and she will wait until February, letting Rounds and Nelson trade punches (and neither Rounds nor Nelson would wait to throw those punches).
Psst... mike... you're giving yourself away when you claim to know who Kristi's personal friends are. ;)
Cory, Kristi Noem has signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge and co-sponsored a Balanced Budget Amendment. She has worked with Ron Paul to support tribal sovereignty. She is a much closer to my "ideology" than you claim.
Bree, when you're talking Kristi, you need to keep "ideology" in quote marks. She doesn't care about the meaning of what she's signing or voting for beyond whether it will win her donations and votes in the next election. Her "ideology" is her self. Go to a public forum. Ask her a detailed question about her support for your "Constitutionalism." Ask her, for example, how expanding federal crop insurance fits with Ron Paul's "Constitutionalist" principles. See if her response (if she offers one) comes anywhere close to the substantive details of what that word means to you.
As I said on DWC earlier this morning, Napoli et al. will line up behind Noem because she is an emptier vessel with a somewhat larger potential to vote for things Napoli et al. want than Rounds offers.