This guest post was submitted by Congressman Kevin Cramer, a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2018. No issue touches all of us and our families more closely than health care. Access to professional medical services when and where we need them is a key factor in our quality of life. These services need to…
Proposed Initiated Measure Would Create Constitutional Prohibition on Non-Citizens Voting in North Dakota Elections
This afternoon Secretary of State Al Jaeger’s office sent out a press release announcing that an initiated measure had been filed. You can read the proposed measure and other documentation below, but it’s really pretty simple. Here’s the changes it would make to Article II of the North Dakota Constitution (click for a larger view):…
Podcast: Responding to Heitkamp, Boschee Talks Voter ID, Eberhart Talks Oil Prices
Secretary of State candidate Josh Boschee joined me on the radio show today. Recently Senator Heidi Heitkamp claimed that North Dakota’s Legislature passed voter ID laws to “clearly target” college students and Native Americans, a claim she hadn’t made prior to her re-election year. Since Boschee is running for a job that has among its…
Senator Heitkamp’s Latest Ad Says She’ll “Work With Anyone,” but Her Enemies List Says Otherwise
Publicly Senator Heidi Heitkamp likes to cultivate for herself a reputation as a pragmatic centrist. In fact, that’s the theme of her most recent radio ad (which hits the airwaves today, I posted the audio on Friday). The title of that ad is “Work With Anyone” and it alleges Senator Heitkamp’s willingness to do just…
Print Column: Shut Up, They Explained
Sen. Heidi Heitkamp and her network of operatives and supporters are out to make me Public Enemy No. 1. The problem is that the senator’s approval numbers are tanking ahead of what promises to be the most vigorously contested election of her life. The solution, it seems, is to paint yours truly as a big,…
Podcast: Armstrong Says Schneider Is Campaigning “a Lot More Moderate Than His Voting Record”
On Friday I had U.S. House candidate Kelly Armstrong on my radio show. He and his Democratic opponent Mac Schneider squared off recently in a debate hosted by the North Dakota Newspaper Association. At that event Armstrong said something about voters having a choice between himself, a conservative Republican, and Schneider who is campaigning as…
Audio: In First Radio Ad Heitkamp Touts Casting “Over Half” Her Votes With Trump
A source has provided me with a copy of Senator Heidi Heitkamp’s first radio ad. I’m told it’s set to hit the airwaves next week (full disclosure, I have no idea if this has been submitted to the radio station I work at or not). It’s 60 seconds long and pretty interesting stuff. Not surprisingly…
Armstrong Has Big Lead Over Schneider in North Dakota House Race, Candidates About Even on in-State Contributions
Republican state Senator Kelly Armstrong has a strong fundraising lead over former state Senator Mac Schneider in the first report each candidate has filed in North Dakota’s U.S. House race. Both candidates have been active for about the same amount of time. Armstrong officially announced his campaign on February 22nd. Schneider announced his on March…
Just 9 Percent of Heitkamp’s Itemized Individual Contributions Have Come From North Dakotans, Cramer at 45 Percent
It’s a safe bet that North Dakota’s Senate race will be the most expensive in state history. Both candidates are expecting to spend in excess of $10 million on their campaigns, each. Given that both Republican candidate Kevin Cramer, and Democratic incumbent Heidi Heitkamp, are well-connected political figures and prolific fundraisers I think the money…
SBHE Member Kevin Melicher Is Out as Six Candidates Advance to Fill Vacancies
Kevin Melicher, who was appointed to the State Board of Higher Education by former Governor Jack Dalrymple, was never perceived as a strong pick. He embarrassed himself in front of a state Senate committee reviewing his appointment, and that appointment was only narrowly approved by a vote of the full chamber after a lengthy debate.…