Longtime North Dakota Lawmaker is Retiring

(Photo by Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – A longstanding North Dakota lawmaker and chair of the House Appropriations Committee is not seeking reelection.

Rep. Don Vigesaa, R-Cooperstown, announced his plans to retire after 23 years of service. He will continue to represent District 29 in central North Dakota until his term ends Nov. 30.

“I’m 73 next month,” Vigesaa said in an interview Tuesday. “I just thought, I’ve got three children and eight grandchildren that are starting to be involved in athletics and music, and we want to be part of their lives and be able to go to those events at any point.”

Vigesaa served as a key lawmaker in crafting the state budget in 2023 and 2025 sessions. His leadership positions also included serving as assistant House majority leader and, more recently, co-leading the Joint Appropriations Committee during the special session that allocated nearly $400 million for state health initiatives over the next two years.