Friday afternoon, Gov. Kay Ivey welcomed South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) in Montgomery as she arrived in the Yellowhammer State.

Noem is set to be a guest speaker at the Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) summer dinner Friday night.

In a statement, Alabama’s chief executive expressed her honor in welcoming the South Dakota conservative firebrand to her home state.

“I was proud to personally welcome my friend South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to Alabama this afternoon,” said Ivey. “Both South Dakota and Alabama are two of the leading states and are showing the world what happens when you have strong, common sense leadership. I know Governor Noem will have a great visit.”

Ivey’s public appearance comes on the heels of Alabama Media Group publishing an opinion piece, authored by left-wing columnist Kyle Whitmire, which questioned the governor’s health status.

Following the column’s publication, the governor’s office released a statement addressing the “bogus rumors.” An Ivey spokeswoman advised that Alabama’s 54th governor was “healthy and cancer-free.”

Noem, who has seen her popularity among the Republican base skyrocket in recent years, was elected governor of South Dakota in 2018. She has emerged as a vocal critic of the Biden administration, leading efforts to combat perceived federal overreach by the Biden administration.

The governor, who is routinely featured in Fox News Channel interviews, is considered by many political pundits to be a potential contender for the 2024 GOP presidential ticket.

Dylan Smith is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL