South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem Faces Backlash Over Bizarre 'Informercial' for Texas Dentist
March 12 2024, Published 5:00 p.m. ET
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has been slammed for filming a bizarre ad for a Texas dentist, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Noem's name has been in the mix of potential picks for Donald Trump's running mate — and thanks to a new set of veneers she's excited to show off, her smile is ready for the campaign trail.
On Monday, the pro-MAGA Republican shared a truly odd five-minute video praising a Houston-based dentist for her new teeth.
"I’m the governor of South Dakota, and [I] had the opportunity to come to SmileTexas to fix my teeth, which has been absolutely amazing," Noem said in the clip.
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She continued to praise the dentist's work with an infomercial-like cadence. "The team here was remarkable and finally gave me a smile that I can be proud of, and confident in, and that really is a gift that I think is going to be incredibly special to have. You know, I think that I chose the team here at SmileTexas because they’re the best," she stated.
It's unclear if the South Dakota governor was paid to do the video, posted on her X account, or if the video was in exchange for the veneers.
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Nonetheless, online critics were quick to slam the lawmaker over the strange ad. Some noted that Noem conveniently left out whether or not she paid for her dentistry work or if she was paid to do the ad.
"Wait I’m confused did the Governor of South Dakota just film an infomercial for the dentist that did her veneers?" wrote one X user.
Another chimed in, "Who told you this was a good idea?"
A third asked, "Are you even allowed to do this type of stuff while holding public office?"
Others highlighted the irony of Noem "promoting Texas businesses as the governor of SD."
"Kristi Noem: the dental care in the state I run is so p--- poor that I did a brand deal for one in Texas," read one scathing take.
The possible brand deal backfired on Noem, with thousands mocking the cringe-inducing video and ethics concerns it raised.
Craig Holman, who serves as a campaign finance and government ethics expert at D.C. watchdog group Public Citizen, told the Daily Beast that such endorsements are banned at a federal level, however, Noem's video fell under Texas ethic laws that have "quite a lot of wiggle room."
"Though if she was paid to do the ad, that would seem to violate the gift rules," Holman told the outlet.