South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem’s appearance at a Brevard County Republican Party event in Cape Canaveral faced protests from Democrats.
The backlash centered on an incident from Noem’s book, “No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward,” where she described shooting and killing her family dog, Cricket, after it attacked a neighbor’s chickens and exhibited aggressive behavior.
The controversy intensified as all nine Native American tribes in South Dakota banned Noem from their reservations following her comments linking some tribal leaders to drug cartels.
Despite the uproar, Noem was invited to give the keynote speech at the local party’s annual Lincoln Reagan Dinner, an event that sold hundreds of tickets at over $100 each.
Brevard Republican Executive Committee Chairman Rick Lacey defended the decision, citing the event’s success. However, Brevard Democrats, led by chairwoman Pamela Castellana, protested across from the venue, criticizing the invitation of Noem, especially given local Republican sheriff Wayne Ivey’s strong stance against animal cruelty.
Castellana highlighted the cognitive dissonance within the local Republican community regarding Noem’s controversial actions and statements.