Kristi Noem’s bid for top NRA job revealed as dog killing saga continues

South Dakota governor Kristi Noem was reportedly gunning for a top job at the National Rifle Association as recently as last fall, according to a new report.

Ms Noem – who saved future opponents time and energy by willfully choosing to include in her new book that she shot her dog decades ago – reportedly offered to step down as governor to take the position, a pair of sources told Axios.

The sources claim that last autumn, Ms Noem reached out to former NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre – himself no stranger to killing an animal and looking like a fool as a result – to offer herself up as the next vice-president or CEO of the organisation.

She allegedly said she'd be willing to walk away from her governorship early to take the role.

According to the sources, it wasn't a far-fetched idea; they said Ms Noem has been a known quantity in NRA leadership circles and that her name was reportedly floated shortly after Mr LaPierre resigned in January.

An official successor for the gun lobbying group has yet to be named. Andrew Arulanandam, a Republican operative since at least 1994, is the interim CEO.

Ian Fury, Ms Noem's spokesperson, told Axios that the report is nonsense and that she would have never considered leaving her position as governor.

«She loves her job as governor of South Dakota,» he told the outlet.

The alleged NRA gig isn't the only job Ms Noem has had her eyes on.

Up until the dog story broke, Ms Noem was considered a top contender to be Donald Trump's running-mate in 2024.

Those hopes may have been dashed to the gravel pit alongside Cricket (the pet she says in her memoir No Going Back that she shot after several misdemeanours, including trying to bite her).

«She's DOA,» an ally of Mr Trump told The Hill.