More evidence that South Dakota’s Republican establishment is willing to hang Kristi Noem out to dry lies at the bottom of Joshua Haiar’s in-depth report on the SDGOP’s civil war over economic development. Daugaard-era economic development boss Pat Costello acknowledges that Kristi Noem improperly spent state economic development funds for selfish purposes:
But he also said criticisms of former Gov. Kristi Noem’s use of the Future Fund in recent years were valid.
Examples included her use of the fund for a $2.5 million contract to promote and conduct the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup rodeo in Sioux Falls. Noem played a starring role in the rodeo, carrying the American flag into the arena on horseback and posing for photos with the event winners.
Noem also used $13.5 million to help construct a Rapid City-area shooting range lawmakers declined to fund, and approved a contract for up to $9 million, mostly from the Future Fund, for the Freedom Works Here workforce recruitment campaign starring herself [Joshua Haiar, “Governor Race Exposes Divergent Paths on Economic Development Among South Dakota Republicans,” South Dakota Searchlight, 2025.09.03].
The Future Fund and all the rest of South Dakota’s economic development initiatives are intended to foster enduring engines of opportunity and wealth for all South Dakotans. Kristi Noem used economic development dollars to patch up her Legislative failures and shine the spotlight on herself. Even South Dakota Republicans are admitting Noem misused those dollars.