From the left: North Dakota gubernatorial candidates Republican Rep. Kelly Armstrong, Democratic-NPL state Sen. Merrill Piepkorn and independent Michael Coachman. (Contributed via the North Dakota Monitor)
(Jeff Beach – Mary Steurer – North Dakota Monitor) – Kelly Armstrong, who rose through the North Dakota Legislature and represented the state in Congress, is getting his wish to come home and be governor.
Armstrong is leading Democratic-NPL challenger Merrill Piepkorn 75% to 20% in early results Tuesday night. The Associated Press called the race for Armstrong at 8 p.m. Armstrong continues a string of Republican governors that goes back to the 1992 election.
Independent candidate Michael Coachman had 5% of the vote in early results.
Armstrong, of Bismarck, grew up in Dickinson and made a career as a criminal defense attorney, as well as in the oil and gas industry.
U.S. Sen. John Hoeven introduced Armstrong Tuesday night at a Republican Party event in Bismarck after the race was called.
“Standing up here is the most humbling experience of my life,” Armstrong said after taking the podium, his voice wavering.
Armstrong thanked his predecessors in office for their work.
“North Dakota isn’t broke, it doesn’t need fixing,” he said. “They have blessed me with the single best gift: I don’t have to be aspirational.”
Armstrong said he plans to resign from Congress effective Dec. 14 at 11:59 p.m. in order to take office as governor on Dec. 15.
He told the North Dakota Monitor he’s “still working through” possible supplements to Gov. Doug Burgum’s budget proposals. Armstrong said his biggest priority is property tax reform.
Piepkorn, a familiar name to listeners of Prairie Public radio, focused on running a positive campaign and opportunities for North Dakota residents.
He gave up his state Senate seat from north Fargo to be the Democratic nominee.
Both candidates have expressed interest in building on North Dakota’s efforts to provide more property tax relief, but they were opposed to Measure 4, the proposal to essentially end property tax as it currently exists.
The candidates took sharply different stances on abortion. Armstrong defended the law passed by the Legislature, among the tightest abortion-restrictions enacted after Roe v. Wade was struck down.
That law has been thrown out by a judge, but the state is appealing to the North Dakota Supreme Court.
Piepkorn advocated for the government to stay out of people’s health care decisions.
The victory puts Armstrong in position to regulate the oil and gas industry that provides most of his income.
The North Dakota Monitor spoke with Armstrong and ethics experts about the potential conflict of interest with the governor chairing the state’s Industrial Commission and Land Board. Both bodies have influence over the oil industry, which generates most of the tax revenue for the state.
Armstrong has told the Monitor that his experience will help him be “promoter-in-chief” for North Dakota’s energy industry. He also has said he will recuse from votes that would involve a conflict of interest.
Armstrong’s lieutenant governor will be Michelle Strinden, who has represented a Fargo district in the state House of Representatives.
Armstrong replaces Republican Gov. Burgum, who chose not to run for a third term. Burgum endorsed his lieutenant governor, Tammy Miller, to be the next governor, but Armstrong, the party-endorsed candidate, easily defeated Miller in the June primary.
A poll released in October showed Armstrong with 54% of the vote and a large lead over Piepkorn.
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