North Dakota lawmakers, candidates trade barbs with Gov. Armstrong over campaign donations

North Dakota Republican lawmakers and legislative candidates on Wednesday accused Gov. Kelly Armstrong of attempting to unlawfully influence the state Legislature by donating to campaigns of handpicked candidates.

The conservative Republicans lambasted the Republican governor in a press conference at the Capitol outside of Armstrong’s office. Sen. Jeff Magrum, R-Hazelton, alleged that Armstrong’s donations violate the state constitution under the section that outlines bribery and quid pro quo.

“Our appeal is to the public, speak with your vote,” Magrum said. “Speak against the unlawful, unethical and immoral action by the governor and reject his candidates.”

North Dakota governor contributes nearly $200,000 to 20 allies, reports show

Armstrong has donated roughly $200,000 to the campaigns for about 20 Republicans who are facing primary challenges in legislative and statewide races, campaign finance records show. Recent filings show an additional nearly $75,000 in in-kind contributions as well. Armstrong said he raised the funds from donors inside and outside of the state and told them the funds were going toward Republican candidates that he supports.

He added the donations were given with no assurances or strings attached, only that candidates show up and do the jobs that they were elected to do. The donations are legal for him to make, Armstrong said.

“They can get me charged in any county in the state and they can get me prosecuted in any county in the state, but until then, that argument is a complete and utter gong show,” Armstrong said in an interview Wednesday. “Turns out, I didn’t give up my First Amendment rights to participate in the political process when I became the governor.”

Former Gov. Doug Burgum faced similar criticism in 2022 for his campaign spending in some legislative races.

Republican candidates in about a dozen legislative districts are facing primary challenges in June. Some Republican candidates for the Legislature and statewide office did not seek the party’s endorsement, instead gathering signatures to gain access to the ballot.

Armstrong donated nearly $20,000 to Republican incumbents Sen. Judy Lee, Rep. Austin Schauer and Rep. Jim Jonas and an associated committee in the West Fargo area. 

West Fargo Republican-endorsed House candidate Everett Duckworth said Lee isn’t a conservative and he and the other NDGOP-endorsed candidates in the race only want to bring “common sense voting” back to the Republican district.

“The fact that the governor is coming against us, he doesn’t even know us,” Duckworth said. “I was very surprised. We’re just regular people.”

Lee said advancing legislation requires listening to all points of view.

“The business is done in the middle because that’s what moves forward,” Lee said in an interview during a break from an interim legislative committee meeting. “People on all sides recognize that who have been around for a bit.”

Rick Becker, a former conservative lawmaker who is endorsed by the NDGOP as a legislative candidate, said it’s not proper for the governor to finance legislative candidates who weren’t endorsed by their districts.

“Unfortunately, what Gov. Armstrong is doing is trying to remove any of that friction to make a very compliant legislative body. In fact, a body of ‘yes men’ and ‘yes women,’” Becker said.

Some of the candidates Armstrong is supporting received their district’s endorsement. 

Armstrong said Becker is an example of hypocrisy, pointing out that Becker has in the past run against candidates endorsed by the NDGOP. 

Armstrong said he is not fazed by people being critical about his donations, adding “pocket gophers care more about the criticism in that press conference than I do.” 

Kay Jarratt of Bismarck, who attended the press conference hosted by the Republican lawmakers and candidates, said Armstrong shouldn’t put his thumb on the scale during the primary.

“We aren’t just sheeple,” Jarratt said. “We can make our own choices and our own decisions.”

She said she also worries the donations will exert influence by the governor over the legislative candidates to vote a certain way.

Dana Brandenburg of Edgeley, brother of Rep. Mike Brandenburg, R-Edgeley, said Armstrong isn’t backing the will of the people and instead enforcing his own will on the public.

Bob Martin of Minot said he and his wife, Jenny, are active Republicans and they believe Armstrong is attempting to buy legislative influence in donations to Republican candidates who haven’t been involved in district meetings that they’ve both attended.

“He’s a governor first and it definitely changes things,” Martin said. “He’s become our servant and he has to do what the people want, not what he wants.”

Armstrong said he will work with whomever is elected this November.

“I’m supporting people that I think are serious candidates that are coming here for serious reasons,” Armstrong said. “That’s the only thing I ask.”

Magrum said the legality of a governor making campaign donations while in office has never been challenged in court.

“We may need to address this in the next legislative assembly,” he said.

North Dakota Monitor reporter Michael Achterling can be reached at [email protected].