Noem featured in South Dakota tourism ad airing on Fox News

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem got some high-value exposure to Republican voters across the country last week during her appearance at the Republican National Convention – and during Fox News commercial breaks.

At the governor's request, the South Dakota Department of Tourism aired a Fox News ad narrated by Noem that premiered alongside her Wednesday speech at the RNC. The 30-second spot, which cost taxpayers $819,000, advertises the state as a place open for visitors despite the pandemic. That theme was in line with Noem’s convention speech, which centered on the American ideals of “equality, freedom, and opportunity.”

The ad opens with a montage of tourist attractions such as Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park and the Crazy Horse Memorial, then crescendos with the governor introducing herself.

“Celebrate what makes America great,” she says. “And experience the great places and great faces of South Dakota.”

Noem has courted a national following among conservatives and saw her profile rise as she took a hands-off approach to the pandemic, avoiding statewide lockdowns and business closures. The state spent $1.5 million for a fireworks display at Mount Rushmore during an Independence Day-themed event attend by President Donald Trump.

Noem also spent $130,000 to build a studio in the basement of the Capitol, which she has used frequently for Fox News appearances.

But Darrell Solberg, a former Democratic legislator who has been an advocate for government accountability, called the ad an “unethical” use of taxpayer money that “benefits Noem’s personal profile.”

“I think she ought to pay more attention to what is going on in the state than raising her profile on Fox News,” he said.

The ad, which will run for two...