Is Kristi Noem 'South Dakota's Sarah Palin?'

The Republican has brought in more funds than any other house challenger; Noem lives on a ranch and hunts with a bow and arrow.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Kristi Noem 311 (photo credit: AP)
Kristi Noem 311
(photo credit: AP)
Kristi Noem has raised $1.1 million in the last three months, more campaign money than any other Republican house challenger, ABC News reported on Wednesday.
Noem has been labeled "South Dakota's Sarah Palin." She has three children, lives on a ranch, and hunts elk with a bow and arrow. She appears on horseback in her ads, and is running on an anti-government spending platform, which includes repealing the new health care law.
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However, Noem told ABC news that she has not embraced the label, and does not want Palin campaigning for her.
"We're going forward making sure we're focused on the people here at home," Noem said. "I want them to know who I am and what I believe we should be doing and should be accomplishing rather than focusing on somebody else from out of state."
As for reducing government spending, Noem says she's "a firm believer that South Dakotans know better what to do with their money than the government does."
Noem is challenging Rep. Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin (D-SD), and has raised nearly twice as much cash. The extra funds will come in handy, as Herseth-Sandlin is very popular in South Dakota, winning with almost 70 percent of the vote in 2008. Herseth-Sandlin is a conservative Democrat, and has criticized much of the Democratic agenda, as well as President Barack Obama. When asked what grade she would give the president, she told ABC news that she would give Obama "C."
However, the Republicans are very much in the lead this elections season. Noem has pointed out the Herseth-Sandlin "is voting with Nancy Pelosi 9 out of 10 times," and that a vote for Herset-Sandlin is a vote for Pelosi, ABC News reported.
Noem recently came under fire for having 20 speeding tickets and other traffic violations, as well as two warrants for her arrest for not appearing in court. Noem's most recent speeding ticket was a result of driving at 94 mph in January, and Herseth-Sandlin called the issue "a question of judgment."