Noem rips conservative writer Matt Walsh over ‘horrible misogyny’

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) fired back at conservative podcaster and writer Matt Walsh on Wednesday over comments he made about her appearance that she described as “horrible misogyny.”

Walsh made the comments in a video in which he criticized Noem, a potential 2024 presidential candidate, over her decision not to ban businesses from implementing coronavirus vaccine requirements, a step that has been taken by several other Republican governors. 

“No use for Kristi Noem,” Walsh said. “Kristi Noem is a very attractive woman, so she’s got that going for her.”

“As far as I can tell that’s the only reason why she was ever looked at as some sort of 2024 potential front-runner,” he added. “The hype and everything that she’s gotten from conservative media is entirely based on the fact that she’s an extremely attractive woman, which she is.”

Those remarks prompted a response from the governor. 

“Instead of engaging in a debate about the proper role of government and how it isn’t conservative to tell people how to do business, @MattWalshBlog stooped to horrible misogyny,” Noem tweeted. 

“Eyes up here, Matt,” she added.

Instead of engaging in a debate about the proper role of government and how it isn’t conservative to tell people how to do business, @MattWalshBlog
stooped to horrible misogyny.

Eyes up here, Matt. pic.twitter.com/n5xO0uVsaf

— Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) August 25, 2021

Walsh hit back at Noem, accusing her of referencing a clip from Media Matters, a liberal nonprofit known for scrutinizing right-wing media, and omitting context from his remarks. 

Do you often take clips from Media Matters, cut them down to remove context, and then use them to hit conservatives, or is this your first time?

— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) August 25, 2021

In other tweets, Walsh doubled down on his comments about Noem, which he called “an obvious truth,” and accused those who were offended by his remarks of being “a bunch of ridiculous, whiney babies.”

I said that Kristi Noem only gets hype because she’s attractive. Lots of people, including Kristi, were offended by these remarks. I’ve had a chance to reflect on this and after much thought I just want to say I’m deeply sorry that you’re all a bunch of ridiculous, whiney babies.

— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) August 25, 2021

A Newsweek reporter contacted me to see whether I regret using “misogynistic language” about Kristi Noem. He said he wanted to give me a chance to “clarify” my comments for his article. Here was my response. pic.twitter.com/4mMoK7tXs3

— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) August 26, 2021