South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) will glad-hand with Republican donors at former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort next month amid speculation that she plans to run for president in 2024.
A source familiar with the matter confirmed to The Hill that Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle will host the fundraiser for Noem’s gubernatorial campaign on March 5 at the Palm Beach resort.
Noem is up for reelection in 2022 but is rumored to be among the Republicans mulling a White House bid in 2024.
She is scheduled to give a speech this weekend at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando and is reportedly slated to attend a Republican National Committee donor retreat in April, both of which are important stops for potential presidential contenders.
Should she run, Noem is expected to join a crowded primary field of Republicans looking to win back the White House. However, she recently polled at 1 percent in a poll of prospective GOP candidates and it remains unclear how Trump could shake up the primary contest if he decides to run given his overwhelming popularity with Republicans.
The fundraiser for Noem also indicates that Trump Jr. plans on being involved in the 2022 midterm and 2024 cycles. The former president’s son has garnered a dedicated social media following and has been vocal on top conservative issues like regulation of social media platforms.
An invitation for the event obtained by Politico, which first reported on the fundraiser, shows that there is a $1,000 minimum contribution to attend. A donation of $4,000 by an individual or $8,000 by a couple would win a spot at a private roundtable discussion, photo-op and cocktail reception with Noem, Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle.
A spokesperson for Noem did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.
The fundraiser is an indication that the South Dakota governor plans to tie herself to the former president in her upcoming electoral battles as the GOP has an internal reckoning over Trump’s role in the party’s future.
Polls have shown Trump’s approval rating remains high among Republican voters, but some lawmakers have begun distancing themselves from him over his repeated claims that the 2020 election was “stolen” from him, remarks critics say helped fuel the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.