Republican South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem on Sunday tried to spin a controversial anecdote about killing her pet, revealed in her upcoming memoir, right into a case for her political deftness as she vies to grow to be Donald Trump’s vice presidential choose.

A Friday report from The Guardian described snippets of her memoir about her selections to kill numerous household livestock, together with a 14-month-old pet named Cricket and an unnamed goat.

“I can perceive why some individuals are upset a couple of 20-year-old story of Cricket, one of many working canines at our ranch,” Noem wrote in an X post on Sunday. “Whether or not working the ranch or in politics, I’ve by no means handed on my tasks to anybody else to deal with. Even when it is arduous and painful. I adopted the regulation and was being a accountable mum or dad, canine proprietor, and neighbor.”

Noem has spent the weekend coping with ridicule from each Democrats and Republicans since these anecdotes grew to become public.

In each cases, she has stood by her resolution to place down the animals, saying that Cricket had an “aggressive character” and that the goat was “nasty and imply,” in line with The Guardian report.

Noem’s Sunday protection comes as a last-ditch effort to quell the flurry of doubts that the state of affairs has stirred as she competes for Trump’s VP nomination towards contenders like North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Senator Tim Scott, R-S.C. and Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y.

Over the previous a number of days, individuals throughout the political spectrum have taken to social media to touch upon the controversy.

Proper-wing media character Laura Loomer stated this anecdote could be a demise knell for Noem’s vice-presidential aspirations.

“She will be able to’t be VP now,” Loomer stated in a Friday post. “You’ll be able to’t shoot your canine after which be VP.”

President Joe Biden’s reelection marketing campaign rapidly seized the chance to problem a refined dig on Friday, posting footage of Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris smiling with canines.

Florida Governor and former GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis posted a name to motion for individuals to undertake rescue canines.

Noem’s animal killing isn’t the primary time she has raised eyebrows in Washington.

In March, the South Dakota governor posted an infomercial-style video for a Texas dentist showing to behave as a industrial testimony for the enterprise, regardless of holding public workplace.