Governor of South Dakota Kristi Noem delivered her annual State of the State address yesterday, focusing on the values that have made our country great.

Excerpts of the speech below:

I am honored to stand before you today as the Governor of a state that is proudly leading the nation. We are leading with a talented workforce. We are leading by growing our businesses. We are leading with strong schools. We are leading with freedom, limited government, fiscal responsibility, and a commitment to defending the values that have made our country great.

I am proud to report that the state of our state is stronger than it has ever been in our 133-year history.

This did not happen because of what government did. It happened because of what government did NOT do.

And it is because of our people.

Two years ago, we made a decision in the face of a global threat. We chose not to compromise our values. We kept businesses, schools, and churches open. We did not decide who is essential and who is not. We chose freedom and personal responsibility over mandates and lockdowns. We took steps to be safe, to guard public health. But we also trusted people to make decisions that were best for them and their families.