North Dakota Republican leaders urge ‘soul-searching’ after contentious primary

North Dakota Republican leaders encouraged the state party to reflect after its party-endorsed statewide candidates lost in Tuesday’s primary.

“There needs to be some introspection there,” said House Majority Leader Mike Lefor, who did not seek reelection.

Gov. Kelly Armstrong said he hopes the Republican-endorsed candidates come to the realization that the state party didn’t do much for their campaigns during the primary.

“If I was an endorsed candidate, I’d be calling on leadership to resign,” he said in a Wednesday interview. Armstrong was chair of the NDGOP from 2015 to 2018.

All statewide elected officials skipped the Republican endorsing convention this year amid a growing divide within the party. Several statewide races had no Republican Party-endorsed candidates as incumbents opted to gain signatures to access the ballot instead. 

On Wednesday, NDGOP Chairman Matt Simon said in a statement the party will shift its “focus to the General election to advance conservatism and elect Republicans across the board.”

Simon declined to answer how the state party plans to support Republican candidates who did not seek the endorsement.

Delegates to the state convention sharply criticized incumbents for not attending and narrowly approved a nonbinding motion that sought to remove the Republican Party brand from any candidates who did not seek the party’s endorsement. 

Republican Senate Majority Leader David Hogue said this week the NDGOP needs to reinvest in its “big tent” approach because there will never be ideological unanimity among Republicans in a state controlled by a supermajority.

6 incumbent North Dakota lawmakers ousted in GOP primary

“There has to be this recognition that not all members of the organization can agree on all of the issues, and I think that message and reality needs to be discussed,” Hogue said.

Alex Balazs, who received the Republican Party’s endorsement for U.S. House but lost to Rep. Julie Fedorchak, said Tuesday night he hopes the Republican Party consolidates and supports Fedorchak.

“We ran with different goals and different objectives … but we’re still part of the same party,” Balazs said.

Deven Styczynski, the only other statewide candidate to receive the NDGOP endorsement, lost to Public Service Commission incumbent Sheri Haugen-Hoffart on Tuesday. Styzynski said Wednesday he isn’t sure who he will support in November for PSC, leaving the door open to supporting the Democratic nominee or no one at all.

“On the campaign trail, I didn’t hear the incumbents answering the questions that even I had as a candidate,” Styczynski said. “Until I actually hear them address the concerns, I can’t really throw support behind one or the other.”

Rep. Bernie Satrom, R-Jamestown, the northeast regional chair for the NDGOP, said he thinks party leaders may need to rethink how inclusive and open the party should be. 

“I think at some point the NDGOP needs to do a little soul-searching,” Satrom said.

Fedorchak wins North Dakota House primary over NDGOP-endorsed challenger

Republican state Senate candidate Kristin Kenner of Devils Lake defeated incumbent Sen. Kent Weston, R-Sarles, during Tuesday’s primary.

Kenner’s husband, Corry Kenner, also received a Republican House seat nomination, beating out incumbent Rep. Donna Henderson, R-Calvin.

She said the party should be trying to unite people. 

“I think they need to include people, all Republicans, and not be so selective in saying that if I’m thinking one way, even though I am a Republican, that I’m left of center, or whatever they want to call me,” Kenner said. 

Rep. Kathy Frelich, R-Devils Lake, will run for reelection alongside the Kenners during the general election after campaigning against them with Weston and Henderson during the primary

Frelich said she’s been in contact with the Kenners and hopes that continues.

“I congratulated them,” Frelich said. “I plan to work with them and go forward to do what’s best for our district.”

North Dakota Monitor journalists Jacob Orledge and Jeff Beach contributed to this report.

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