Not My First Rodeo: Lessons from the Heartland

We don’t complain about things, Kristi. We fix them.”

These words, so often spoken by my dad, have motivated me to show up for the tough jobs in my life. From cleaning stalls to signing legislation.

Growing up on a farm in South Dakota, there was always plenty that needed fixing. The same is true of our world. God gives us all different talents to work on our own little corner of it. We ought to do so humbly—our society is so hungry for that—but we shouldn’t shy away from debate, and we shouldn’t settle for an easy out that leaves the job for someone else later.

That’s partly why I got into politics in the first place, not exactly a profession I ever envisioned as a young girl pulling calves on the ranch or competing in rodeos across the state. While politics has been anything but easy, convenient, or pleasant, it was, I believe, the right choice. But I will let you be the judge on that one.

I am the first woman to serve as governor of South Dakota. While this is deeply significant to me, I do not believe there are “women’s issues” any more than there are “men’s issues.” There are only issues that affect us all as Americans. There is, however, a woman’s perspective on every single issue. That perspective is essential when we as a country make decisions about our freedom, defense, prosperity, health, and the well-being and happiness of our kids.

I’ve offered that perspective—whether people asked for it or not—from the barnyard to Congress. Always with conviction. Often, alone.

Along the way I’ve learned a few things. I often tell young people one of the best things they can do is decide to be a teachable person. You can learn something from everyone, even your worst critic. This book is my attempt to share some of what I’ve learned about family, work, faith, and decision-making.

Fair warning: this is a memoir of a life so far; it is not a book about politics. Of course, campaigns and political fights—from South Dakota’s windswept plains to the marbled halls of Congress—make up a good part of these pages. But politics is a lot like walking through a feedlot in springtime: it’s slow going and you’re constantly surrounded by crap. Who wants to read that?

You’ll find some familiar faces here—presidents and politicians. You’ll find relatively unknown people who are every ounce as important. But the character on every page is South Dakota. It is my home. It has made me who I am. After a global pandemic and the crisis in American cities, more and more people are discovering the gift of rural life, learning that it’s better for their families—and for their souls. Rural communities are at the heart of our American story: they are people taking risks to earn a living off the land. If these memories and stories do nothing more than make you want to come see South Dakota, to be among its honest, hardworking people for a moment or a lifetime, that’s good enough for me.

But if you happen to learn a little more about the daughter of a farmer who can’t help choosing the hard way at every turn…

About a rodeo queen who prefers cowboy boots to high heels…

About a wife, mother, and grandmother who has, by now, learned a thing or two about politics in America…

Well, at least you’ll be entertained. Life is a rodeo. Hang on.