Former President Donald Trump wrapped up the Republican nomination for president more than a month ago, and the governors of North Dakota and South Dakota are eagerly campaigning for the honor of joining his ticket as his vice presidential nominee.
First up is Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD), who is working hard to distinguish herself from the rest of the field of vice president wannabes by releasing a book that details her lifetime of advocating Republican principles in government and on the ranch.
This apparently includes blasting with a shotgun a puppy that was killing farm animals, an anecdote she said helps bolster her credentials as a hardworking Republican woman who makes difficult decisions and takes decisive action when needed. She even added extra context to her story by saying, “I hated that dog.”
Still, as controversy over her dog-killing story made headlines, this decisive gun-toting rancher of a governor felt the need to defend herself.
“I can understand why some people are upset about a 20-year-old story of Cricket, one of the working dogs at our ranch,” Noem wrote in a post on X. “Whether running the ranch or in politics, I have never passed on my responsibilities to anyone else to handle. Even if it’s hard and painful. I followed the law and was being a responsible parent, dog owner, and neighbor.”
Leaving aside the fact that she could have tried to find Cricket a new home away from farm animals, Noem showed shockingly poor political instincts in choosing to publicize this story as proof of her ability to make difficult decisions. For someone who is openly campaigning for vice president and hopes to run for president eventually, this kind of politicking will only lead to failure. Trump can do a lot better than Noem as his vice president.
Enter the other Dakota governor, Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND), who briefly campaigned for the Republican nomination for president last year before dropping out ahead of the primary contests. A tech businessman who is a billionaire, Burgum has served as the state’s governor since 2016. He endorsed Trump shortly after ending his presidential bid and has been widely speculated as a possible Cabinet pick in another Trump administration.
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But there might be another job for him. This weekend, Axios reported that Burgum’s vice presidential stock is rising because Trump believes the North Dakota governor would be “a safe choice who could attract moderate voters.”
Now, Burgum would hardly be an inspired choice to join Trump’s ticket, but that doesn’t mean he’s a bad one. Being the vice president is not a particularly glamorous job, but it can set up its holder to run for president. While Burgum would be a pretty milquetoast choice, there is no record of him admitting to shooting a puppy. In that, at least, he has a leg up on his South Dakota counterpart.