The fervor grew to a pitch as Kristi Noem took the stage at Outlaw Square in downtown Deadwood to greet thousands of Black Hills rally-goers hoping to get a peek at one of the country’s most notable governors.

And like those in the crowd, the 50-year-old Republican — who is seeking re-election this November — was also a participant in the Buffalo Chip’s 15th annual Legends Ride, helping out with the notorious Meade County campground’s annual fundraiser that nets as much as a half-million dollars for area charities.

“She’s my hero,” said Joni Green, a Bellingham, Wash., woman who took a liking to Noem during the early days of a global pandemic that prompted many of the world’s leaders to restrict human and economic movement. “She’s a strong woman, and when everyone else was caving, she put her foot down.”