Kristi Noem

South Dakota State Rep. Kristi Noem, the Republican candidate for the state’s single congressional district, raised twice as much traffic this quarter as the congresswoman she hopes to unseat — 1.1 million dollars.

Dubbed “the next Sarah Palin,” Noem hopes to knock out Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, a popular conservative Democrat in a right-leaning state. It’s the multiple monumental challenge to Herseth Sandlin ever since she was first elected in 2004. As the Post wrote in 2004:

But 2010 is a diverse time, and Herseth Sandlin, 39, faces her most substantial threat yet. Noem, 38, is authentic, tall and lean, soft-spoken but tough, an unabashed conservative who rarely strays off script. She’s a made-for-Fox News star in her own right.

Whereas Herseth Sandlin grew up on a farm, Noem runs a ranch. She rides horses, herds cattle, hunts elk (with a bow), shoots prairie dogs (with a rifle) and skins pheasants. With her husband, Bryon, she takes care of two teenage daughters, Kassidy and Kennedy, a son, Booker, and a rotating crew of nieces and nephews.

According to wiki: Kristi Lynn Arnold Noem born November 30, 1971 is a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives and the Republican nominee for South Dakota’s At Large Congressional District.

In the State legislature, Noem represents Beadle, Clark, Codington, Hamlin, and Kingsbury counties. She is the Assistant Majority Leader in the House of Representatives, serving from the time of her election at the beginning of her instant term in 2008.