Noem Reflects On Campaign, Looks Forward

From Keloland.com

 SIOUX FALLS, SD - After months of campaigning, debating and politicking, Kristi Noem is on her way to the United States Congress.

The four-year state lawmaker defeated incumbent Stephanie Herseth Sandlin in South Dakota’s race for the U.S. House.

She’s from a small town in northeast South Dakota, but now Noem has a big job ahead of her.

The former state legislator is now Washington bound, but admits the scope of her accomplishment is yet to hit home.

“Because this is all new to us, the first time I’ve run a statewide campaign, won a big victory, it’s exciting for us.  So the family is just enjoying being together today,” Noem said.

Speaking of home, that’s where Noem and her family will be going after a few stops to thank her supporters.

“We’re looking forward to that and then we’ve got my brothers still combining so we’re going to help them. We’ve got some friends coming in to visit as well. So it will be good to have a couple days off, relax and recuperate and get ready to get organized to get to work,” Noem said.

Noem had support in all corners of the state, but showed particularly well in western South Dakota. While she did campaign hard in that region, she admits the overwhelming support is a bit puzzling.

“You know, I’m not quite sure. But I’m thankful for it. Good people.  I can’t wait to get out there.  They’ve been so good to us, good to my family.  Been very supportive,” Noem said.

Noem and her family will continue to live in South Dakota; she’ll travel back-and-forth for her work. While she makes those arrangements, she says she’s also going to get organized for the job ahead.

“We’ll start today. We know that now the job rests on our shoulders and we’ve got a big responsibility; a lot of things that we’ve talked about. We’re going to start today and get to work on it,” Noem said.

Once in Washington, Noem says she hopes to serve on the agriculture committee.

“But then we’ll go on from there.  Maybe commerce; energy will be extremely important. We’ll see what we can do and we’ll be on the one that’s best for South Dakota,” Noem said.

Noem says she’ll also work on bills, but doesn’t want to talk specifics just yet. However, she still supports the repeal of federally mandated health care and says she’s relieved Nancy Pelosi will no longer be Speaker of the House.

“So that is excellent.  She is no longer in charge and I think we’ll look for new leadership that will be good for South Dakota, agriculture and for our businesses here,” Noem said. 

Finally, Noem thanks all of her supporters, but recognizes that she didn’t earn the vote of all South Dakotans.

“I take the responsibility of representing all of them very seriously and I’ll work hard for all of them. I think at the end of the day, we all come down to the fact that we’re all South Dakotans and we want what is best for this country. I hope they recognize that and that I’ll prove that to them as we go on through the next several months and into the next couple of years,” Noem said.

A couple of years this Castlewood native will serve South Dakota as the state’s only voice in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Noem also said today that she thanks Stephanie Herseth Sandlin for her years of service to South Dakota.

Noem and the rest of the 112th Congress will be sworn into duty on January 3, 2011.

Read more at Kristi Noem for Congress