SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Less than half of the respondents approve of the job Kristi Noem is doing as Governor of South Dakota, according to a new poll from Emerson College.

The poll was conducted from Oct. 1-4 with South Dakota residents. Forty-three percent approved of Noem while 36.5% disapprove. The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 4.7 points. So, if there is a 4.7 point error in Noem’s favor, it would place her approval rate below 50% at about 48%. If the error is not in Noem’s favor, it would drop her approval rating to about 38%.

Noem’s support is strongest among men, 52%, within the Republican Party at 73% and for those aged 50 to 69 at 53%.

Only 30% of voters under 30 approve of Noem’s job as governor. More women, 41%, disapprove than men, 31%. And 35% of the women approved of Noem. Twenty-four percent of the women were neutral.

According to multiple population data, South Dakota has slightly more men than women. The difference is about 51% to 49%.

In June of this year, Wall Street 24/7 cited poll results from Morning Consult, which showed Noem with a 61% approval rating in the state.

In 2022, KELOLAND Media Group and The Hill worked with Emerson College on a poll in the South Dakota Governor’s race. That poll was conducted from Oct. 19-21, 2022, and showed Noem with a large lead with voters who planned to vote on Nov. 8, 2022. Noem was the planned choice for 56% of voters compared to 37% for Democratic challenger Jamie Smith. Noem won that election with 62% of the vote.

Speculation on Noem running for U.S. President or being selected as running mate has swirled around South Dakota for several years. Noem has been cited as a possible running mate for Republican Donald Trump.

Only 25% of the South Dakota respondents said Trump should choose Noem as his running mate.

Republicans aren’t keen on the idea of Noem as Trump’s running mate as 34% said he should choose her. But, 18% said it would depend on who else was being considered.

In other poll questions related to the presidency, 42% of South Dakotans asked believe President Joe Biden stole the 2020 election while 61% believe Trump won the 2016 election “fair and square.”

Sixty-two percent do not approve of the job Biden is doing as president. While Trump has support for presidency in the 2024 election, it’s at 50%. The other 50% is split between Biden (28%), someone else (13.5%) and undecided (8.4%).

The poll’s margin of error of 4.7% is well within the 95th percentile and acceptable level of between 4 and 8 points.

According to its website, “Emerson College Polling is a Charter Member of the American Association of Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) Transparency Initiative— AAPOR is the leading professional organization of public opinion and survey research professionals in the United States, with members from academia, media, government, the nonprofit sector, and private industry.”