Kristi Noem makes her case to be Trump's running mate by criticizing Republicans who ran against him

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem staked her claim as one of Donald Trump 's potential running mates by thrilling conservatives and attacking Republicans who ran against the former president at the CPAC conference on Friday.

Noem mocked President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris directly, questioned their leadership of the country and touted her own conservative credentials while thrilling the crowd in Washington.

'I'm just going to say it. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris? They suck,' she said, prompting wild applause from activists in the room.

She also indicated that Biden might not even make it to the November election and ripped into the White House for failing to address the border.

'We need to face the facts, Joe Biden is not going to the president and Kamala is not a backup plan,' she said.

Noem praised Trump for his leadership, reminding the audience that she was one of the first politicians who stepped up to endorse Trump in 2024 - even when people were suggesting she run her own campaign.

'I said no, why would would run for president if you can't win,' she said. 'I didn't said it to be nice. I said it because it was a fact.'

She pointedly called out conservatives who ran against Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination pointing out they only distracted from the ultimate goal of victory in November.

'It does not strengthen our country and conservatives are not united enough to recognize that we need to win,' she said. 'We need a fight. We need someone who doesn't give up, who has never quit on us, so don't you quit on him.'

That separates her from the other potential running mates, such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Vivek Ramaswamy who ran for president in the Republican primary.

Noem celebrated that the Republican Party had moved in from 'the Romneys and the Cheneys' and had only grown in support from a wide coalition of Americans.

She pointedly called out Republican leaders in Washington, DC, as ineffective.

'Nobody turns to DC for the solutions, nothing meaningful gets accomplished,' she said. 'It is governors who have had to lead,' she said.

Noem touted her own record of supporting school choice, low taxes, and gun rights, issues of importance to the conservative crowd.

She also reminded the crowd she was among the first conservative Republican governors to send her state's national guard help secure the Southern border.

'I offered to bring razor wire there so that Texas would know that South Dakota stands with them,' she said.

Noem also reminded the audience that she led the way in keeping her state open during the coronavirus pandemic, refusing to close businesses and churches.

'I will do all I can in South Dakota to bring back peace and stability, for Joe Biden has brought destruction and death,' she said.