Larry Rhoden, South Dakota’s lieutenant governor, finds himself in a delicate position when it comes to discussions about potentially assuming the role of governor if Gov. Kristi Noem becomes Donald Trump’s vice presidential nominee.
Rhoden, who has been serving as lieutenant governor since 2019 after a lengthy tenure in the state Legislature, prefers not to broach the topic directly, aiming to avoid the appearance of actively considering such a scenario. However, the issue inevitably arises given the speculation surrounding Noem’s potential candidacy.
Noem is being touted as one of the leading contenders for the vice presidential slot on the Republican ticket for the 2024 election, alongside figures like South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
Rhoden acknowledges that the selection process for the vice presidential nominee is likely to intensify now that Trump has secured the Republican nomination and is looking ahead to the Republican National Convention scheduled for July 15-18 in Milwaukee.
While attending a town hall event in Mitchell alongside Noem, Rhoden did not shy away from addressing the topic when raised by attendees.
Despite signing education-related bills and engaging with constituents on various issues, Noem fielded questions about the potential VP candidacy, demonstrating that the topic is on the minds of many observers.