Every time a Republican elected official makes headline with some stupid social media post or Republicans nominate a peeping tom for statewide office, or object to a non-Christian invocation at the Legislature, or accuses a sitting Congresswoman of being trained by the same group responsible for the 9/11 attacks, some credibility is lost. Continue reading…
NDGOP Candidate for Treasurer Says He ‘doesn’T Doubt’ Controversial Facebook Posts Are His
MINOT, N.D. — Screencaptures of distasteful and, at least in one instance racially-charged, social media posts by an account shared between Rep. Dan Johnston (R-Kathryn) and his wife Wendi are likely real. Continue reading…
Jamestown Republican’s Move to Edgeley Will Set Off Competition With Incumbent Republicans
“Ellendale is actually home to me,” he said. “That’s where I grew up. My folks still live there.” Continue reading…
Republican Candidate for Treasurer Has Collections Judgments on His Record
MINOT, N.D. — On Saturday, Jan. 4, I was the first to report that Republican state lawmaker Daniel Johnston, a Republican from Kathryn, would be launching a campaign for state Treasurer. Long-time Republican incumbent Kelly Schmidt has opted not to run for another term. So far, Johnston is the only announced candidate in the race.…
Republican Lawmaker Dan Johnston Expected to Announce Campaign for Treasurer
Rep. Daniel Johnston represents District 24 in the North Dakota House of Representatives. He lives in Kathryn (south of Valley City) and is still serving his first term in the Legislature, having first been elected during the 2016 election cycle. In 2020, he’d like North Dakota voters to give him a promotion. He’s expected to…
UPDATED: With Incumbent Kelly Schmidt Retiring, Fargo Republican Says He’s Interested in Running for State Treasurer
North Dakota Treasurer Kelly Schmidt, a Republican, has announced she won’t seek a fifth four-year term in office during the 2020 election cycle. “This is not something I have taken lightly,” she told Bismarck Tribune reporter Jack Dura. “I have thought about it. I have prayed about it. I have visited with my family about…
State Rep. Rick Becker (R-Bismarck) addresses the North Dakota Young Republicans convention in Bismarck on November 16, 2019. Photo via Facebook
North Dakota Republican Group Votes for Making Access to Recreational Marijuana a Constitutional Right
UPDATE: NDYR state chairman Reed Christianson called me to clarify that the vote was intended as a “straw poll” and not really an endorsement. However the ballots circulated, which you can see below, describe the vote as an endorsement. It’s not clear if conference attendees felt that they were endorsing or not, but I wanted to…
Plain Talk: North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Got Individual Insurance Rates 20 Percent Lower, Here’s What He Wants to Do Next
Most North Dakotans get their insurance through some sort of group plan, usually through an employer, but our state is also a unique place. We have a lot of self-employed entrepreneurs, people like ranchers and farmers and other small business owners, and they’re responsible for purchasing their own insurance. The only news most of us…
Josh Gallion Represents a Real Conundrum for North Dakota Republicans
Auditor Josh Gallion is in Bismarck announcing his re-election campaign even as I type these words. He’ll be making a follow-up announcement in Fargo later today, weather permitting. You can read his full press release below. Despite being young, by political standards, and just finishing up his first term, there was some hesitation on the…
Amid Scandal and a Push for Impeachment North Dakota’s Top Elected Officials Join Trump’s Re-Election Campaign
There were some headlines earlier this week about incumbent President Donald Trump losing some popularity in North Dakota ahead of the 2020 election year. That was according to one poll, anyway, and I’m dubious of its findings for several reasons. Still, scandal has enveloped the Trump administration, and there is an ardent for impeachment in…