You wouldn’t think it would be possible for North Dakota’s Democratic-Nonpartisan League to become less relevant to governance. The party holds not a single state elected office, while Republicans hold roughly 85 percent of the seats in the Legislature. Yet a faction of progressives want to split the Nonpartisan League from the party and make…
Some North Dakota Progressives Considering Forming a Third Party
The Minot Daily News has an interesting article about a couple of dozen Minot-area progressives coming together to figure out how to be relevant in modern North Dakota politics. Part of the motivation for the meeting is a feeling that local Democrats have given up the fight. “My personal feeling on it is there’s just a…
North Dakota’s Budget Problems Have to Do With Spending Not Tax Cuts
As the state legislature grapples with budget challenges in Bismarck a talking point has emerged from our friends from the left about why those challenges are so large. It’s the tax cuts, they tell us. An example of this is Democrat Party Chairwoman Kylie Oversen who was a very, very far left lawmaker herself until…
Democrats Figuring Out How to Talk to Trump Voters Is Why the Electoral College Is a Wonderful Thing
According to reports, Democrats are now putting on seminars aimed at figuring out how to talk to Americans who aren’t inclined to vote for Democrats. “Democratic members of Congress are learning how to converse with regular people during a retreat this week to prepare to battle President Donald Trump,” the Washington Free Beacon reports. “One session at…
Are North Dakota Democrats Really Supporting Their Native American Candidates?
Mike Jacobs writes about the Dakota Access Pipeline protests in his column this week. He notes that the protests illustrate what a political force the tribes have come, at least when it comes to obstructing pipelines, and points out that North Dakota’s Democrats have three Native American candidates on the statewide ballot this cycle. North…
Democrats Have Three Native American Candidates For Statewide Office, Two For The Legislature
Here’s an interesting side note which may reveal something about the recruitment efforts of North Dakota Democrats this cycle. Three of the statewide candidates are Native Americans. Chase Iron Eyes of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe is already well known to SAB readers. He was endorsed at the party’s state convention earlier this month. Ruth…
With Candidate Deadline Looming Democrats Still Have A Third Of Legislative Races Unfilled
So far the North Dakota Democrats have left four statewide races without a candidate: Auditor, Treasurer, Public Service Commissioner, and Insurance Commissioner. They’ve claimed that this lack of statewide candidate recruit is because they’ve been focused on the Legislature, but there too they’ve been struggling. According to a review of campaign filings on the Secretary…
North Dakota Democrats Ripped In Newspaper Editorials For Being Irrelevant
The North Dakota Democrats are “embarrassing” says the Grand Forks Herald in an editorial today. “[T]hey seem to have written off this year’s elections already,” writes Tom Dennis: It will surprise no one when we say that the Democratic Party in North Dakota is weak. That’s exactly why the party now needs a look in…
North Dakota Democrats Seat Just 252 Delegates For State Convention
“Democrats kick off convention today with most delegates since 2008,” reads the headline to this Mike Nowtazki article published last night. It is a preview of the Democratic state convention which begins in earnest today in Bismarck. Party executive director Robert Haider fed Nowatzki some spin, I think. “Democratic-NPL Party Executive Director Robert Haider said…
As Their State Convention Begins Democrats Have Two Statewide Candidates And 42 Percent Of Legislative Races Filled
The North Dakota Democrats begin their statewide convention today in Bismarck. They’re not even the top-billed event at the facility they’re using. The main arena at the Bismarck Civic Center will feature the Shrine Circus. No, I’m not kidding. As they begin their three-day convention they have just two announced statewide candidates. State Rep. Marvin…
