Grit and Grind: Building South Dakota for the Next Generation

By: Governor Kristi Noem

June 2, 2023

I first ran for public office for a handful of reasons, but the reason at the heart of everything has always been my kids – and now my grandkids. I ran to ensure that they would be able to live in the same South Dakota that I was born and raised in. I ran so that that they would understand why America is the greatest nation in the history of the world. I ran so that they would learn the small-town values that built the generations before them.

Today, South Dakotans can be confident that their kids will inherit the greatest state we can give them. 

As Governor, I have prioritized building a stronger South Dakota that we will be proud to pass on to the next generation.

South Dakota has the strongest economy in the nation. Our people see it in the money that’s staying in their pockets. And the rest of the nation is seeing it too. Freedom-loving people from all over America are picking up their lives and moving to South Dakota.

Just recently, Moody’s Investors Service reaffirmed South Dakota’s AAA stable credit rating. The report reads that “South Dakota continues to stand out among US states in terms of its very healthy finances and its low debt, pension, and fixed cost liabilities. These will remain long-term credit strengths that bolster the state’s capacity to attend unforeseen challenges.”

South Dakota’s record-breaking economy is here to stay. We have continued to grow through challenges like a global pandemic and harsh winters – and our economy is equipped to face any challenges that come our way.

Unemployment in South Dakota is the lowest in the history of our state. More than that, it’s the lowest in American history. And we still have open jobs!

This kind of economic success doesn’t just happen overnight. I went into my first term as Governor with a goal to let South Dakotans make decisions for themselves. It is not the role of the government to tell people how to live their lives. And it’s thanks to South Dakota’s fiscal responsibility that our economy has been so successful these last few years.

The people of South Dakota made this possible, and we will continue to give back to them. We will keep supporting our state’s top industries like agriculture and tourism. We will keep passing policies that allow South Dakotans to keep even more of their money in their pockets. And we will keep empowering our citizens to make the best decisions for themselves and for their families.

I am proud of how far South Dakota has come. I am also proud of our work ethic. We are a kind of people that never settle, we never say “good enough.” Even though we have the best economy in America, we are still working to make it better.

I have never been more confident that we will give the next generation a South Dakota that is thriving and growing. Our kids and grandkids will inherit a state that embodies the American Dream – a state that will be a shining beacon of Freedom for years to come.

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