U.S. Rep Kristi Noem, R-S.D., made the first big mistake of her new political career last week when she voted to fund the “bridge to nowhere.”
The $320 million bridge linking Ketchikan, Alaska to its airport on Gravina Island, has become a symbol of government waste and pork barrel spending.
Noem’s vote came in glaring contrast to the conservative principles she touted during her political campaign.
With less than three months in office, Congresswoman Noem has voted to gut support for ethanol and biofuels, defund children’s education programs such as Head Start, and jeopardize our economic recovery. Last week, Noem voted in support of the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere” in Alaska at a cost to taxpayers of $183 million. The Rapid City Journal is right to call this a blunder and to call out Noem for putting politics ahead of principle. South Dakota deserves a leader who will build bridges to prosperity in South Dakota instead of a laggard who wants to continue building bridges to nowhere.