Mixed results as South Dakota’s Noem intervenes in GOP races

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — In South Dakota, Republican Gov. Kristi Noem has tried to shape the Legislature to her liking. And in last week’s primary (June 7, 2022), she publicly backed at least a dozen candidates, including several challengers to incumbents who are part of a contrarian group of Republicans. But two-thirds of the governor’s favorites lost, and some of the lawmakers who survived her efforts to defeat them wonder why a governor they generally agree with went to such lengths to try to oust them. While endorsements often draw attention and financial resources, they don’t always translate into voter support. It’s a lesson that Noem ally Donald Trump is learning as he falls short, notably in Georgia, in trying to punish Republicans who’ve crossed him.