Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota embraced former President Donald Trump, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, during a campaign event in Rapid City, South Dakota at the weekend.
Donald Trump’s resilience in polls of the Republican presidential primary field is shifting attention to what, for the moment at least, is the only truly competitive national race for 2024 which is the contest to be his running mate.
Speculation over Trump’s potential vice president, a decision that would rest solely with him has remained an undercurrent in the primary race as his rivals for the nomination, including former Gov. Nikki Haley and Sen. Tim Scott, a pair of South Carolina Republicans, regularly distance themselves from questions about their possible interest in being a vice presidential candidate.
But one Republican welcoming those questions has been Gov. Noem of South Dakota who is not running for the White House, and recently told Fox News that “of course” she would consider joining a ticket with Trump.
Noem, 51, fueled further vice-presidential conjecture by endorsing the former president at the weekend’s rally in her home state.
“Tonight, Mr. President, my message is clear: It is an honor to have you with us in South Dakota,” Noem said in front of a crowd of thousands in Rapid City. “You made America great again once. Let’s do it again.”
Trump took the stage, briefly hugging Noem and exchanging words. Then, for a quick second, a graphic reading “TRUMP NOEM 2024” flashed on the giant screen above the stage.
“Kristi is a warrior for American values,” Trump said, going on to compliment her handling of the coronavirus pandemic and her policies in South Dakota.
“I get endorsements, some good, some bad,” he said. “Some don’t mean anything. Hers means a lot.”
While South Dakota holds little sway in the Republican presidential primary contest and even less in a general election, Noem’s endorsement is noteworthy because only eight of the nation’s 26 Republican governors have publicly picked sides so far.
Beyond Noem, just three; Mike Dunleavy of Alaska, Jim Justice of West Virginia and Henry McMaster of South Carolina have backed Trump while two others, Ron DeSantis of Florida and Doug Burgum of North Dakota are running against him.
“Everybody should consider it,” Noem told Fox News about a potential vice-presidential slot. “If President Trump is going to be back in the White House, I’d do all I can to help him be successful.”
However, Trump is said to be still giving little direct thought to a running mate as some close to the former president said that was most likely rooted in superstition that such consideration would jeopardise his own nomination.
Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump, said the vice-presidential speculation showed that “everyone knows President Trump will be the nominee, and he continues to dominate every single poll.”
Along with Scott, other Republican candidates mentioned as potential running mates for Trump have included Haley and the businessman Vivek Ramaswamy.
Trump’s two-time running mate, former Vice President Mike Pence, has split with the former president over the 2020 election results. This week, he cast Trump’s populism as “a road to ruin” for the party.
In a radio interview this week, Trump told Hugh Hewitt, a conservative talk show host, that he was unlikely to make an early decision on a vice president, brushing aside the idea that his running mate could help campaign in the spring when the former president is facing multiple criminal trials.
“There’s never been a vice president that got a president elected, because it doesn’t work that way,” Trump said. “It sounds good and everything, but the president gets himself elected.”
Trump endorsed Noem for governor in 2018, and she was an ardent ally during his presidency and has more recently voiced support for him in cable news appearances.
Noem told conservative news channel Newsmax ahead of the campaign event in Dakota that she would “in a heartbeat” consider being Trump’s running mate if asked.
INAC 2023: Int’l Community To Support Nigeria’s Creative Industry- Runsewe
BY CHINELO CHIKELU, Abuja
Director-general of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, said the international community has expressed interest in supporting the development of Nigeria’s creative industry.
Runsewe who is also the president of the World Craft Council (WCC) made this known in a chat with the media after the closing ceremony of the 16th edition of the NCAC’s International Arts & Crafts Expo, held in Abuja at the weekend.
He said this opportunity for leveling up on the arts and crafts expo, is part of the vision of networking Nigeria’s crafts to the world, and was only made possible through INAC.
“Four countries, Bulgaria, India, China and Bangladesh, want to take Nigeria to their country now, free of all expenses, for vocational training and skills acquisition, not university degrees, I am not involved in the latter. Rather what we need is to develop Nigerians to be practical. We want to unleash the creativity in every Nigerian.
“This offer is a win-win situation for all parties involved. It is only for Nigeria to go to the next level after this. It is left to us to open our doors and bring in more investors to our country, and I am sure that in the next couple of years, our story will change.”
As part of the expo activities, over 200 Nigerians, both young and old, were trained in several vocational skills as soap making, gele tying, hair styling, bead work among others during the festival. The best of the trainees was awarded starter packs with a little funding to help kickstart their own businesses.
“With this, we are reducing unemployment, crimes, and building a better nation for our youths to inherit,” he said.
Runsewe further observed an impact of the festival, which is, the growing efforts at better branding and packaging of arts and crafts pieces by Nigerian exhibitors. An outcome, he claims, is the result of presenting many awards to exhibitors.
“The prizes are to awaken them, to let them know that we are taking note of the things they are doing. The prizes varied from Best Branding to Best e-Marketing, Best in Skills Acquisition to Best Leatherwork, Best Commercial Exhibitors to Best Pavilion etc.”
He urged private stakeholders to help support the harnessing and exporting of Nigeria’s creative industry, as a means to moving the nation forward.
The 2023 edition of the International Arts & Crafts Expo held September 7 – 9th at the Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria, witnessed over 38 exhibiting and non-exhibiting countries, 18 Nigerian states and about 29 non-governmental organisations in attendance.
James Kwen
