Gov. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) did not mince words in her speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Wednesday when she called out the Republican Party for constant infighting.
“The way we talk to each other has consequences,” the governor said, according to the Washington Examiner. “My advice to the Republican Party is to get over yourself.”
Noem is correct because Democrats are currently the ones at the helm in Washington, and the division within the party acts only as a distraction for the 2022 midterms. Whether it’s actively working against fellow Republicans or scaring moderate voters off, infighting is political self-sabotage.
She also points out that the party has fallen so far down the rabbit hole of purity that many average Americans have been left behind.
“We all have people in our lives that we’ve stopped talking to,” she later added.
“We have been offended by them, or we believe that they’re too far on the other end of the political spectrum from us that there is no sense in wasting words even speaking to them, and we need to get over ourselves. And start by listening. No one feels like anyone listens to them anymore. Listen carefully. Ask questions. Build a relationship.”
Even though it sounds cliche, changing hearts and minds is a crucial part of convincing the body politic. It will never be perfect, but communicating with people of all political stripes is the only way to make progress. Republicans need to win back the suburbs while also beginning to make inroads into the Democrat-run urban areas, which is only possible through sensible voter outreach.
Thankfully, she cleverly points out that that requires conservatives to not compromise their values despite what the mainstream culture says.
The important part of Noem’s address was when she asked a tough question: “What are we trying to conserve?”
It feels that the definition of a conservative Republican keeps changing and growing more confusing, quite honestly. The party has so many factions, which is good in some ways, but it’s hard to determine what unites the right anymore. Populists think it means one thing, whereas libertarians and neoconservatives may disagree.
“I’m encouraging Republicans to … listen, have a conversation rather than constantly blowing each other up and storming out of the room,” she said, according to Fox News.
While people may misinterpret her remarks as complacent, they’re missing the point.
There is a concerning trend of Republican politicians seeking attention on social media by taking shots at each other instead of doing their jobs. It’s ineffective and unproductive at best.
Noem is one of the most vocal conservative governors in the country, and she made strong nods to both former Presidents Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump in her speech. She articulated that Reagan should be one of the inspirations for the current conservative movement and also said that she would back Trump in 2024 if he decided to pursue a second term, Fox News reported.
Most red-state governors proved their boldly intelligent leadership during the coronavirus pandemic, so they need to be the leading voices on what the future of the party looks like.
