WPA Intelligence, a Washington D.C.-based polling and research firm, recently presented some findings from research they did in North Dakota to the North Dakota Republican Party. You can see their full presentation below. There are some interesting details. For instance, this breakdown in how North Dakotans align in terms of ideology: Not surprisingly, North Dakota…
The Goal of Gender Parity in Elected Office Is as Dumb as It Is Insulting
Voters in North Dakota have no problem casting ballots for female candidates. We know this because women routinely win elections at the state and local levels. It’s absolutely true that there are more men then women in elected office in our state. But then it’s also true that a lot more men than women choose…
Minot Republican, Defeated in the Primary for His House Race, Considers Unusual Independent Run for the Senate
On primary day last week incumbent state Rep. Andrew Maragos, a Republican from District 3 in Minot, was defeated along with his running mate Alan Walter by two political newcomers named Jeff Hoverson and Bob Paulson. The vote, as you can see, was close: This morning I heard a rumor that Maragos might be considering…
Minnesota’s Falling Health Insurance Premiums Are Hardly a Sign of Obamacare Stability
“Minnesota health insurers propose lower premiums,” read a headline from the Minneapolis StarTribune late last week. According to the reporting under the headline there will be some premium drops for individual health insurance plans in that state’s market, and supposedly this is a sign of stability. from Obamacare. “Health insurers in Minnesota’s individual market say they…
A television station referenced in a Senate Majority PAC says the group's reference to an interview they did with Congressman Kevin Cramer is inaccurate. Screenshot via YouTube
Television Station Says Heitkamp Allies Misrepresented Cramer’s Comments on Their Broadcast
The Senate Majority PAC, a group affiliated with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, has been running advertising recently accusing Congressman Kevin Cramer of promoting cuts to Social Security and Medicare. This is the ad I wrote about recently which was coordinated with talking points disseminated by the Heitkamp campaign. The claim about Cramer’s position on Social…
Here Are the Battleground Districts in North Dakota’s Legislative Races
I don’t expect the 2018 election cycle to change much in terms of who controls state government in North Dakota. On the statewide ballot the only really competitive race at this point seems to be the Secretary of State race, and there are some bizarre circumstances there. The endorsed Republican candidate, Will Gardner, withdrew from…
Trump Enters Senate Race, Says Heitkamp “Always Will Vote No When We Need Her”
After weeks of Senator Heidi Heitkamp’s campaign pushing a narrative which held that President Donald Trump – a man who in the 2016 cycle the Democrats were describing as vile and unfit for office – liked Heitkamp more than her Republican challenger Kevin Cramer. Heitkamp has also invested a lot of money and political capital…
When Will Gardner Decline the Secretary of State Nomination?
Last night Will Gardner won the Republican Secretary of State nomination with over 54,000 votes. This despite Gardner withdrawing earlier this year amid scandal related to a 2006 disorderly conduct conviction for peeping on college girls in their dorms at North Dakota State University with his pants undone. Absent some action from Gardner his name…
House Candidate Kelly Armstrong Clearly Has Some Work to Do in Reuniting Republicans
I wrote earlier this morning about the overall numbers from last night’s primary vote. There were no really competitive races on the statewide ballot, nor were there any statewide ballot measures, but one race did jump out at me with some interesting results. The race for the Republican U.S. House nomination featured four candidates: NDGOP-endorsed…
Cramer Campaign Staffer Was Aware of Will Gardner’s Disorderly Conduct Conviction, Says He Didn’t Know About the Peeping
My print column for Wednesday is online already. It’s about the increasingly bizarre dynamics of North Dakota’s U.S. Senate race between incumbent Democrat Heidi Heitkamp and Republican challenger Kevin Cramer. I wanted to flag a part of the column in a blog post, however, because I think it’s important. Cramer campaign staffer Jared Hendrix, who…