In 2010, following a surprising victory in the Republicanprimary, Kristi Noem defeated a formidable Democraticincumbent to win election to the U.S. House ofRepresentatives from South Dakota. With seats on thepowerful Ways and Means and Agricultural Committees,Noem helped shape policy and tax laws governing America’sagricultural sector and worked to help pass a major tax cutin 2017.
Kristi Noem was born Kristi Lynn Arnold on November30, 1971, in Watertown, South Dakota, to Ron andCorrine Arnold. Her parents were farmers and ranchers.Noem attended Northern State University in Aberdeen,South Dakota, and later took courses at South DakotaState University in Brookings and the Watertown campusof Mount Marty College. In 1994 her father died in anaccident on the family farm in Hazel, South Dakota, andNoem postponed her studies to manage the business withher brother. They raised cattle, corn, soybeans, and wheat,and eventually opened a hunting lodge and restaurant.1In 2011 Noem finished her bachelor’s degree in politicalscience from South Dakota State University. Noem andher husband, Bryon Noem, married in 1992 and havethree children.2
Noem’s first experience in public office was as anappointed member of South Dakota’s Farm ServiceAgency committee, which implements programs and loansestablished by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.3 Andin May 2000, she appeared before the House Committeeon Agriculture to testify about USDA programs affectingfamily farms and ranches in South Dakota.4
In 2006, however, Noem jumped into electoralpolitics and won a seat in the South Dakota house ofrepresentatives, where she sought to roll back regulations onenergy development, including an effort to facilitate the useof new windmill technology.5 After her re-election in 2008,Noem was named assistant majority leader.6 During hersecond term, she successfully passed state budget cuts andavoided tax increases.7
In 2010 Noem entered a crowded primary forthe Republican nomination to the U.S. House ofRepresentatives.8 She emphasized her experience as abusinessowner, farmer, and rancher. “I think SouthDakotans are going to be looking in the next election forsomeone who can relate to their lives and values,” she said.9She also pointed to her work in state government pushingfor budget cuts and lower taxes—especially the estate tax which she considered overly burdensome following herfather’s untimely death.10 Noem prevailed with 42 percentof the vote, and faced incumbent Representative StephanieHerseth Sandlin in the general election.11
Noem’s campaign received support from the limited-government Tea Party movement, as well as contributionsfrom national groups including the National RepublicanCongressional Committee (NRCC).12 Noem promisedto repeal the Affordable Care Act, wanted to reformentitlement programs, and opposed the federal stimuluspackage Congress passed in 2009 to shore up the economyamid the Great Recession. Noem, who supported a balancedfederal budget, also criticized Herseth Sandlin for votingto raise the debt ceiling—the amount of money the federalgovernment can borrow at any one time—which Noem saidled to “unrestrained spending.”13
On Election Day, Noem won with 48 percent of thevote becoming the second woman, after Herseth Sandlin,to represent South Dakota in the House.14 Noem defeatedMatt Varilek, a former staffer for South Dakota SenatorTimothy Peter (Tim) Johnson, in 2012 with 57 percent ofthe vote. She won re-election easily in 2014 and 2016.15
Noem’s election in 2010 came amid a wave ofRepublican victories, giving the GOP control of the Houseafter four years in the minority. Early in her first term,Noem and Tim Scott of South Carolina were electedto represent the class of first-term lawmakers in partyleadership meetings.16 “A lot of us freshmen don’t have awhole lot of knowledge, necessarily, about the way thatWashington, DC, is operated. And, frankly, we don’t reallycare,” Noem said.17 She also joined the Republican StudyCommittee and was one of four freshmen tapped to helpthe NRCC in the 2012 elections.18
Noem was initially assigned to the Committee onNatural Resources and the Committee on Educationand the Workforce.19 Without a seat on the AgricultureCommittee, however, many farmers and ranchersback home feared that Noem would be excluded fromnegotiations over a new farm bill—the sweeping law passedroughly every five years that shapes federal farm subsidiesand nutrition assistance programs.20 Noem eventuallysecured a seat on the Agriculture Committee six monthslater when a vacancy occurred.21
On Capitol Hill, Noem worked to reduce spendingand focused on rolling back what she considered onerousregulations. In 2011, for instance, her bill to prevent theEnvironmental Protection Agency from tightening airquality standards for farms passed the House but was notdebated in the Senate.22 She argued against raising the debtceiling without securing budget cuts, joined most HouseRepublicans in supporting the repeal of the Affordable CareAct, and backed calls to transform Medicare into a voucherprogram.23 At the same time, Noem, whose family farm—like many in the state—received federal subsidies, supportedthe government’s agricultural programs, and voted againstseveral Republican proposals to impose across-the-boardspending cuts.24
From her seat on the Agriculture Committee, Noem ledan effort to pass the 2012 farm bill. With the existing lawset to expire on October 1, Noem encouraged PresidentBarack Obama to convince House Democrats to vote forthe bill and criticized Republicans who wanted to amendit to reduce federal spending.25 “I take my orders from mydistrict,” Noem declared. After a bipartisan but unsuccessfulattempt to force a vote on the bill using a discharge petition,Noem stressed the need for a new farm bill on the HouseFloor.26 Although the 112th Congress (2011–2013) endedbefore the farm bill passed, Congress extended the existinglegislation for a year. In late 2013, Noem helped put thefinal touches on the new version in conference committee.Signed into law in January 2014, the farm bill included a“sodsaver” provision—championed by Noem and SouthDakota Senator John Thune—that used financial incentivesto encourage the conservation of prairie land and theprotection of wetlands.27
In 2013 Noem moved from Natural Resources to theHouse Armed Services Committee where she workedto protect South Dakota’s Ellsworth Air Force Base, animportant economic engine back home.28 She also draftedlegislation to protect members of the military from sexualassault and worked with Representative Tammy Duckworthof Illinois on a bipartisan proposal to extend maternity leavefor women in the military.29 Noem’s provisions were addedto National Defense Authorization Acts passed in 2013 and2014, respectively.30
Noem also continued working with Republicanleadership and in 2014 Majority Whip Steve Scalise ofLouisiana named her to the senior whip team.31 In the114th Congress (2015–2017), Noem relinquished hercommittee assignments to join the powerful Ways andMeans Committee, which has jurisdiction over America’stax policy. In November 2015, Noem became the sole woman on an influential advisory group, chaired by SpeakerPaul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, which met weekly to discussparty strategy.32 During her third term, Noem also served asco-chair of the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues.33
Shortly after Noem won re-election in 2016, sheannounced her intention to run for governor of SouthDakota in 2018.34 During her final term in the House, sheworked on the Ways and Means Committee to pass the TaxCut and Jobs Act of 2017. “Parents are already stretchedthin,” she said in a statement, “so the provisions in this billare designed to help them—help them pay their bills, takecare of their kids, go to work, and maybe at the end of theday, take a weekend where they can go and do somethingfun with their kids. That’s important to South Dakota.”35
In the 2018 South Dakota gubernatorial election, Noemreceived nearly 51 percent of the vote. She was the firstwoman elected governor of South Dakota and one of threeRepublican women governors in America.36
Footnotes
1Jonathan Ellis, “Kristi Noem Identifies with Ordinary S. Dakotans,” 3October 2010, Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, SD): n.p.; Politics in America, 2012(Washington, DC: CQ-Roll Call, Inc., 2011): 891; Tom Lawrence, “Noem:I Can Win,” 23 June 2010, Daily Republic (Mitchell, SD), https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/1527213-noem-i-can-win; Jay Kirschenmann,“Who’s Raising your Food? Chances Grow It’s a She,” 17 February 2004,Argus Leader: 1A; “Noem Hopes Republicans Nominate Her For Governor,” 7September 2017, Capital Journal (Pierre, SD): A3.
2David Lias, “Noem Tells USD Grads to Prepare for Life’s Changes,” 19December 2011, Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan (SD): n.p.; “The FreshmanGraduates, Finally,” 19 January 2012, Washington Post: C2.
3Ellis, “Kristi Noem Identifies with Ordinary S. Dakotans”; Kirschenmann, “Who’s Raising your Food?”
4Hearings before the House Committee on Agriculture, Review of Federal FarmPolicy, 106th Cong., 2nd sess. (2000): 1230–1241.
5Jonathan Ellis, “GOP Takes Best Shot at Herseth Sandlin,” 23 May 2010,Argus Leader: n.p.; Melanie Brandert, “Noem: Extend Wind Energy Window,”8 February 2010, Daily Republic: n.p.
6“Republicans Choose Legislative Leaders,” 17 November 2008, Associated Press.
7Ellis, “GOP Takes Best Shot at Herseth Sandlin.”
8Philip Rucker, “Democrats’ ‘Mama Grizzly’ vs. ‘The Next Sarah Palin,’” 23August 2010, Washington Post: A1; Ellis, “GOP Takes Best Shot at HersethSandlin.”
9Kevin Woster, “Republican Kristi Noem Entering U.S. House Race,” 16February 2010, Rapid City Journal (SD): n.p.
10Barbara Soderlin, “Tax Cuts, More Lending Will Spur Jobs, Economy,” 2 May2010, Rapid City Journal: n.p.; Politics in America, 2014 (Washington, DC:CQ-Roll Call, Inc., 2013): 891.
11South Dakota secretary of state, “2010 South Dakota Official PrimaryElection Results,” accessed 5 September 2019, https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/election-resources/election-history/2010/2010_primary_statewide_race_returns.aspx; Jonathan Ellis, “State Rep. Kristi Noem to face HersethSandlin in Historic Clash,” 9 June 2010, Argus Leader: n.p.; Ledyard King,“Kristi Noem Lays Groundwork for Win with Visit to D.C.,” 30 July 2010,Argus Leader: n.p.
12Melissa Attias, “Finding Her Place,” 30 April 2011, Congressional QuarterlyWeekly: n.p.; Politics in America, 2016, library.cqpress.com; “Instant GOPStars,” 23 July 2010, Politico: n.p.; Rucker, “Democrats’ ‘Mama Grizzly’vs. ‘The Next Sarah Palin’”; Almanac of American Politics, 2014 (Chicago:University of Chicago Press, 2013): 1518; King, “Kristi Noem LaysGroundwork for Win with Visit to D.C.”; Alexander Burns, “NRCC Adds 16Top Targets,” 30 June 2010, Politico: n.p.; Ellis, “Kristi Noem Identifies withOrdinary S. Dakotans.”
13“House Hopefuls Sound Off: Noem: Kristi Noem,” 31 May 2010, ArgusLeader: B1; “‘Young Guns’ and Other GOP Congressmen Who Played PivotalRoles in Debt Debate,” 5 August 2011, Washington Post: A1.
14Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, “Election Statistics, 1920 to Present.”
15Almanac of American Politics, 2014: 1519; “Election Statistics, 1920to Present.”
16Ledyard King, “‘No-nonsense’ Noem in Spotlight,” 21 November 2010, ArgusLeader: A6.
17Almanac of American Politics, 2014: 1519.
18Jessica Brady, “NRCC Expanding Regional Team in 2012,” 1 March 2011,Roll Call: n.p.; Politics in America, 2014: 892.
19“Noem on Agriculture Committee: Better Late than Never,” 12 June 2011,Aberdeen American News (SD): n.p.
20Renée Johnson and Jim Monke, “2018 Farm Bill Primer: What is the Farm Bill?,” Report IF11126, 8 March 2019, Congressional Research Service: 1–2; “Noem on Agriculture Committee: Better Late than Never.”
21“Noem on Agriculture Committee: Better Late than Never”; Jerry Hagstrom,“Noem on House Ag Committee: South Dakota Representative Appointedto Post on Committee,” 20 June 2011, Grand Forks Herald (ND): 24;Congressional Record, House, 112th Cong., 1st sess. (14 June 2011): 9128.
22Politics in America, 2016; Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act of 2011, H.R.1633, 112th Cong., 1st sess. (2011).
23Peter Harriman, “Kristi Noem Talks about Budget, Debt Ceiling,” 13 March2011, Argus Leader: n.p.; Almanac of American Politics, 2014: 1518; DanaFerguson, “Candidates Split on How to Fix ACA Flaws,” 16 October 2016,Argus Leader: A3; Jonathan Ellis, “Navigating Kristi Noem, GOP in ’12,” 8May 2011, Argus Leader: B1.
24Attias, “Finding Her Place”; Politics in America, 2016; Ellis, “Kristi NoemIdentifies with Ordinary S. Dakotans.”
25David Montgomery, “Noem Enlists Obama for Farm Bill,” 17 August 2012,Argus Leader: 3.
26Jennifer Steinhauer, “Deal on a Farm Bill Appears Unlikely,” 13 September2012, New York Times: A20; Congressional Record, House, 112th Cong., 2ndsess. (20 September 2012): 14502.
27“Crucial Time for Farm Bill, Prairie,” 28 August 2013, Argus Leader: C1;“Farm Bill a Win for State Land,” 12 February 2014, Argus Leader: D1;Agricultural Act of 2014, PL 113-79, 128 Stat. 649 (2014).
28Politics in America, 2016; Kristi Noem, “Ellsworth’s place in our Military’sStrategic Framework,” 27 September 2017, Argus Leader: B2.
29Kristi Noem, “Combat Sexual Assault in the Military,” 27 May 2013, RapidCity Journal (SD): n.p.; Josh Hicks, “Bipartisan Bill would Increase MaternityLeave for Military Moms,” 13 May 2014, Washington Post: n.p.
30National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014, PL 113-66, 127 Stat. 672 (2013); National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015, PL 113-291, 128 Stat. 3292 (2014).
31Wesley Lowery, “Rep. Patrick McHenry Named GOP Chief Deputy HouseWhip,” 27 June 2014, Washington Post: n.p.; Lauren French and JohnBresnahan, “McHenry Tapped as Chief Deputy Whip,” 26 June 2014,Politico: n.p.
32Christopher Doering, “House Speaker Ryan Finds Confidant in S.D.’s Rep.Kristi Noem,” 2 May 2016, Argus Leader: A2; Lindsey McPherson andEmma Dumain, “These Eight Republicans Could Save the Conference fromBreaking,” 18 November 2015, Roll Call: n.p.
33Almanac of American Politics, 2016 (Arlington, VA: Columbia Books &Information Services, 2015): 1658.
34Jonathan Ellis, “Noem Announces Bid for Governor,” 15 November 2016,Argus Leader: A4.
35Quotation from “With Noem’s Leadership, House Passes Tax ReformProposal,” official website of Representative Kristi Noem, press release, 16November 2017, https://web.archive.org/web/20180919001351/https://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=75205917-3E9F-4A8D-9E85-EB9A034A8E26; Evan Hendershot, “SD Republicans Show Support for TaxReform,” 2 November 2017, Daily Republic: n.p.; Evan Hendershot, “Thune,Noem Champion Tax Plan as it Moves Forward,” 19 December 2017, DailyRepublic: n.p.
36South Dakota secretary of state, “General Election: November 6, 2018,”accessed 5 September 2019, http://electionresults.sd.gov/resultsSW.aspx; LisaKaczke, “Govern for Next Generation,” 6 January 2019, Argus Leader: A6;Republican Governors Association, “Governors,” accessed 4 September 2019,https://www.rga.org/governors/.
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