PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — A South Dakota lawmaker who is running for governor is facing backlash after he used a derogatory term for a woman during a speech on the House floor.
Republican Rep. Steve Haugaard of Sioux Falls described a woman whom he did not name but said was addicted to methamphetamine as a “wrung-out whore.”
The audio from the House floor:
Haugaard, a former House speaker, is mounting a Republican primary challenge against Gov. Kristi Noem as a more conservative option.
Haugaard later apologized and says he was trying to make a point about drug addiction. But female lawmakers in both parties spoke out against his speech, calling it an example of “misogyny” and “aggression towards women.”
Gov. Noem says she was “disappointed and appalled” by the inappropriate and offensive language. She says the House should censure Haugaard.
