BISMARCK, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong secured the Republican primary for North Dakota governor on Tuesday, while seasoned public utilities regulator Julie Fedorchak emerged victorious in a contentious GOP race for the House seat Armstrong will vacate.
Armstrong, currently representing North Dakota’s lone House seat, defeated Lt. Gov. Tammy Miller in the bid to succeed Republican Gov. Doug Burgum, who did not seek a third term and is being considered as former President Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate.
“We’ve never taken anything for granted in this race. We never take our supporters for granted,” Armstrong said. “We never take North Dakota for granted, and we’re really excited, and we’re excited to move to the next step.”
In the House primary, Fedorchak outpaced her competitors in a five-way contest featuring candidates from experienced officeholders to lesser-known contenders. She would be the first woman to hold North Dakota’s House seat.
Additionally, voters approved a notable initiative on Tuesday, barring individuals from running or serving in the U.S. House or Senate if they are to turn 81 years old during their term.
The GOP primaries are critical in North Dakota, where Democrats have not won a statewide contest since 2012, and Republicans have held the governor’s office since 1992. Several legislative races featured only GOP candidates, and two GOP state officeholders ran unopposed.
Armstrong, an attorney and former state senator serving his third term in the House, was endorsed by the state party and Trump. Miller, despite not attending the GOP convention, had Burgum’s endorsement.
Armstrong plans to return to Washington on Wednesday morning, but his campaign will soon pivot to the general election. He will face Democratic state Sen. Merrill Piepkorn, who won his party’s primary unopposed. Independent Michael Coachman, known for an unsuccessful Burgum recall attempt, is also in the gubernatorial race but was not on the ballot Tuesday and has not yet submitted signatures for November.
The next governor will assume office in mid-December, ahead of the biennial legislative session. They will be responsible for balancing priorities, spending, and tax cuts, with property tax reform also on the agenda, according to Jim Poolman, a former Republican state insurance commissioner, lawmaker, and party official.
Fedorchak’s primary win places her against military veteran Trygve Hammer, who defeated Roland Riemers in the Democratic primary, in the general election. During the campaign, Fedorchak condemned misleading text messages sent to voters suggesting she had dropped out, calling them “at minimum election fraud” and indicating her campaign will file a complaint. Secretary of State Michael Howe acknowledged the messages as misleading, though it is unclear how widespread they were.
Balazs, Becker, Mohr, and Mund denied involvement with the messages, with Mund stating on Facebook that she did not authorize anyone to “spam” cellphones. The state Democratic-NPL Party also denounced the messages.
The ballot measure setting an age cap for congressional candidates aims to address age-related and cognitive issues, according to supporters. Some legal experts view it as a potential challenge to a 1995 U.S. Supreme Court ruling against congressional term limits. The state legislative panel attached a $1 million cost estimate to the measure, anticipating a lengthy legal battle.
Republican U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, who faced no primary challenge for his reelection bid, opposed the measure, asserting that voters should have the freedom to choose their representatives.
Despite the decisive nature of the primaries, voter turnout has historically been low, ranging from 17% to 27% of eligible voters from 2014 to 2022.