North Dakota’s lone congressman seeks to continue GOP’s decades-old grip on the governor’s post

Associated Press

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota’s only congressman is seeking to become the state’s next governor and continue a three-decade Republican grip on the post. Three-term Congressman Kelly Armstrong is facing Democratic state Sen. Merrill Piepkorn and independent candidate Michael Coachman in Tuesday’s general election. Republicans have held the governor’s office since 1992 in the heavily Republican Great Plains state. The winner will take office on Dec. 15 and succeed two-term Republican Doug Burgum, a wealthy software entrepreneur who decided not to run again. Burgum was one of the finalists for vice presidential running mate to Donald Trump before the former president settled on Sen. JD Vance of Ohio.