North Dakota U.S. House Candidates Debate

 North Dakota U.S. House candidates Julie Fedorchak, a Republican, and Democrat Trygve Hammer participate in a debate on Prairie Public on Sept. 26, 2024. (Photo by Rick Gion/Prairie Public via the North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) -Candidates for North Dakota’s at-large U.S. House seat showcased policy differences during their second debate Thursday night.

Republican candidate Julie Fedorchak and Democratic-NPL candidate Trygve Hammer traded barbs on extreme abortion rhetoric during the debate hosted by Prairie Public News Director Dave Thompson. The candidates also differed on the future of data mining in North Dakota and trade policy involving tariffs.

Fedorchak served on the Public Service Commission since 2013 and is president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.

Hammer is a military veteran who emphasizes his diverse work experience, including teaching high school science.

Hammer highlighted his experience as a rig hand in the Bakken oil field and said he is “pro-American oil and pro-American energy.”

“Right now we are pumping more oil than any nation in the world ever has,” Hammer said. “We need to continue that.”

Hammer pointed out that data mining and crypto mining operations can be devastating to energy infrastructure due to the increased electricity demands for those facilities.

“We need to watch where we are letting those things into our state,” he said

Fedorchak disagreed and said North Dakota should be at the forefront of data centers because controlling our own data is paramount.

“They need to locate their data processing services some place … we should have them here in North Dakota,” Fedorchak said. “We’re uniquely positioned. We have power, we have water, we have cool climate and this is a huge opportunity for us in the Bakken.”

She added excess gas could be used to help power the facilities.

Fedorchak also said increasing energy production in North Dakota would be a lot easier without the regulations put in place by President Joe Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency.

“They have brought forward a Clean Power Plan that would basically require all of our coal-fired facilities to shut down by 2032, if they don’t have carbon capture and storage technology employed,” Fedorchak said.

She said that technology is still being developed, but utility companies are going to have to start making preparations now.

Abortion

Fedorchak said she supports the abortion law passed by North Dakota and hopes a recent judge’s ruling allowing for the procedure in the state will be overturned.

“I support the Dobbs decision that turned this issue back to the states to determine,” Fedorchak said. “We have established this process whereby tough issues, we can all live together in one nation by allowing states to have their say on the tough issues like this.”

She said she believes in creating a “culture of life” to reduce the number of abortions.

Hammer agreed that no one wants more abortions, but he said he believes North Dakotans are worried about government overreach into “personal freedoms.”

“In states where we’ve seen these bans, we have not seen that ‘culture of life,’” Hammer said. “We have seen more a culture of cruelty, a culture of control. We’ve seen women turned away from emergency rooms because doctors are afraid of losing their licenses, or losing their freedom for practicing the skills they have learned.”

Hammer said he believes lawmakers will try to limit birth control and in vitro fertilization procedures next.

Hammer said Fedorchak’s comments on post-birth abortions during a Republican primary debate were “false and damaging” rhetoric on the issue.

Fedorchak countered that Hammer was using threats and scare tactics when discussing abortion. She reiterated her support for banning abortions after 16 weeks.

Tariffs

Fedorchak said China is a threat to the future of the United States and one way it should be addressed is economically through tariffs.

“We need to use tariffs to help eliminate some of the economic advantages that they have and that they are taking advantage of,” Fedorchak said.

She also said the country needs to get tougher with China for stealing American intellectual property and innovations.

Hammer agreed with Fedorchak about pushing back on intellectual property theft, but disagreed on the need for tariffs because it will affect American consumers.

“We have to remember that it is not the other country that pays tariffs, it’s the importers,” Hammer said. “And then those importers pass those costs onto us.”

He added they would add to inflationary costs and not reduce them.

During the pairing’s first debate in August, Fedorchak said her experience in networking and making connections will enable her to hit the ground running in Washington while Hammer said his experience in a variety of blue collar positions and education puts him in a position to represent the average American worker.

Fedorchak and Hammer are running to fill the seat being vacated by Republican Rep. Kelly Armstrong, who is running for governor.