Plain Talk: How Does a Republican Win Over a Democratic Legislative District?

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District 17 Senators Curt Kreun, left, Scott Meyer and Rep. Mark Sanford discuss legislative issues at a forum Saturday morning at the Red Pepper. photo by Eric Hylden/Grand Forks Herald

America is a deeply divided place in 2020. It’s hard for Republicans and Democrats to talk to one another about, well, much of anything.

Yet in 2016, with President Donald Trump at the top of the ballot, North Dakota Republicans picked up a number of legislative seats from Democrats in parts of the state that have, historically, been reliably blue.

One of those places was District 18, a Grand Forks-area district where state Senator Scott Meyer is an incumbent seeking re-election.

How did a fiscally conservative Republican win in one of the most liberal parts of North Dakota? He spoke with me about it on this episode of Plain Talk. He also spoke to his accomplishments during his first term in office, including instituting occupational licensing reciprocity for military spouses as a way to make North Dakota an easier place to move to, and what his priorities are for another term should he be re-elected this year.

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