South Dakota governor Kristi Noem is making it abundantly clear that abortion extremism will be a key plank in her shadow 2024 campaign, now threatening  pharmacists in her state with jail time if they provide abortion pills.

In response, DNC spokesperson Rhyan Lake released the following statement:

“As the 2024 Republican primary gets closer, GOP hopefuls like Kristi Noem will continue to take their extremism on abortion to new lows in order to be the most MAGA candidate in the field.”

Kristi Noem’s threat to prosecute pharmacists is just the latest from Republicans seeking to prove their extreme credentials in the 2024 field.

AP: “The Republican governor and South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley released a letter to South Dakota pharmacists saying they are ‘subject to felony prosecution’ if they procure or dispense abortion-inducing drugs. The state bans all abortions except to save the life of the pregnant person.”

CBS: 2024 GOP presidential contenders face conservative litmus test on abortion

Noem’s not the only prospective candidate making this move. Last week, Ron DeSantis’s administration also threatened pharmacies in the state with criminal prosecution if they dispense abortion pills, arguing that doing so violates the extreme ban he signed last year.

Florida Agency for Health Care Administration: “Willfully violating these provisions could result in criminal penalties.  See 390.0111(10)(a), Florida Statutes, and 797.03(4), Florida Statutes. The Agency will refer to local law enforcement any evidence of criminal activity that it discovers in its surveys of providers.”

Orlando Weekly: “Middle school-aged incest victim was turned away from Florida abortion clinics under 15-week ban”

Even so, DeSantis faced a scathing attack from Kristi Noem’s spokesperson for not being even more extreme on abortion than he already is and is facing pressure from anti-abortion groups to go further.

Ian Fury, spokesman for Governor Noem: “Governor Noem was the only Governor in America on national television defending the Dobbs decision. Where was Governor DeSantis? Hiding behind a 15-week ban.”

New York Times: “‘So far, we’ve actually been quite disappointed with Governor DeSantis,’ said Andrew Shirvell, the founder and executive director of Florida Voice for the Unborn, a grass-roots anti-abortion group.

“And should DeSantis run for president, Shirvell said, ‘if there’s a big pro-life champion to contrast their record with Governor DeSantis’s record, there’s no doubt that he will be hit. That is his weak point.’”

And in Virginia, Glenn Youngkin is pushing for an extreme ban that would threaten doctors with up to 10 years of jail time and a $100,000 fine.

WRIC: “Under the legislation filed by Byron, physicians who perform or attempt to perform abortions after that threshold would face a Class 4 felony that carries a sentence of up to 10 years and a possible $100,000 fine.”

Not to be outdone, Mike Pence’s group called on Congress last week to pass a nationwide abortion ban that threatens doctors with jail time and has no exceptions for rape or incest.

WESA: “Kelly’s ‘Heartbeat Protection Act’ would essentially ban abortion after the sixth week of pregnancy — a time by which a pregnancy may not even have been detected… the bill provides no exception for pregnancies arising from rape or incest.”