North Dakota Democrats endorse several statewide candidates
BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — North Dakota Democrats rallied for a turnaround Saturday, endorsing several candidates for statewide office to take on Republicans in November.
The Democratic-NPL Party endorsed state Sen. Ryan Braunberger of Fargo for secretary of state, Scot Kelsh of Fargo and John Pederson of Mayville for Public Service Commission and Tim Lamb of Grand Forks for attorney general. The party also issued a letter of support for Tracy Foss of Hatton for superintendent of public instruction.
Democrats have 452 delegates participating, which Party Chair Adam Goldwyn said is the most since 2018. The party has 49 legislative candidates so far, but Goldwyn challenged attendees to field candidates in districts that don’t yet have anyone running.
“The North Dakota Democratic-NPL party has one goal: contest every single election up and down the ballot all across the state,” Goldwyn said.
Republicans hold a supermajority in the Legislature and all the statewide elected offices.
Braunberger, who has represented Fargo in the state Senate since 2023, is seeking to challenge Republican incumbent Michael Howe for secretary of state. Braunberger said he decided to run because he wants to boost public trust in elections.
Delegates participate in the Democratic-NPL state convention at Bismarck State College on March 7, 2026. (Photo by Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)
Dem-NPL Party Chair Adam Goldwyn speaks March 7, 2026, during the state party convention at Bismarck State College. (Photo by Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)
Delegates participate in the Democratic-NPL state convention at Bismarck State College on March 7, 2026. (Photo by Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)
Democratic-NPL attorney general candidate Tim Lamb speaks to delegates at the Dem-NPL state convention in Bismarck on March 7, 2026. (Photo by Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)
Tracy Foss, left, a candidate for superintendent of public instruction, stands next to her son, Rep. Austin Foss, D-Fargo, during a panel discussion as part of the Dem-NPL state convention in Bismarck on March 7, 2026. (Photo by Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)
Patrick Hart, treasurer of the Democratic-NPL Party, passes out ballots March 7, 2026, during the state party convention. (Photo by Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)
Scot Kelsh, a former state lawmaker seeking a seat on the Public Service Commission, waves to the crowd during his Democratic-NPL state convention speech on March 7, 2026 at Bismarck State College. (Photo by Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)
Sen. Ryan Braunberger, D-Fargo, accepts the Democratic-NPL endorsement for secretary of state during the party’s state convention March 7, 2026, at Bismarck State College. (Photo by Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston waves to the crowd after delivering a keynote speech as part of the Dem-NPL state convention in Bismarck on March 7, 2026. (Photo by Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)
Endorsed statewide and legislative candidates for the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party gather on stage at the conclusion of the state convention. (Photo by Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)
A sign at the Democratic-NPL state convention on March 7, 2026, in Bismarck. (Photo by Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)
Howe, a former state lawmaker, was elected in 2022.
Grand Forks attorney Tim Lamb is seeking to challenge Republican incumbent Drew Wrigley for attorney general, a rematch of the 2022 election. In that race, Lamb earned about 31% of votes. Lamb also recently unsuccessfully ran against Josh Gallion for state auditor in 2024.
Lamb said some of his ideas for office include creating a criminal justice review panel, a citizen review board for fraud and a round table for attorneys and judges to suggest improvements to the legal system.
The party endorsed Pederson, a history and economics professor at Mayville State University, to run for a six-year term on the Public Service Commission.
Pederson said he’s running in part to combat the Republican Party’s stronghold over the board. He said Republican commissioners have been too soft on the oil and gas industry.
Scot Kelsh, a tutor and special education behavior technician for Fargo Public Schools, was endorsed for the two-year seat on the Public Service Commission.
Kelsh previously represented Fargo in the North Dakota Legislature for 18 years between 1996 and 2014.
Public Service Commission incumbents Sheri Haugen-Hoffart and Jill Kringstad, both Republicans, are running for election. Republican Deven Styczynski of Enderlin also is running, but previously had not indicated which seat he’s seeking.
The party voted to submit a letter of support for Foss to challenge incumbent Levi Bachmeier for superintendent of public instruction. Foss has been an educator for more than 20 years, and now works as a technology and engineering education teacher at Valley Middle School in Grand Forks. Foss is the mother of Rep. Austin Foss, a Fargo Democrat.
Foss indicated she supports universal school meals.
“We know the power of good nutrition on a student’s ability to learn,” she said.
No candidates were endorsed for agriculture commissioner or tax commissioner, but the convention passed a rule allowing the Dem-NPL executive committee to make endorsements of qualified candidates for those roles. Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and Tax Commissioner Brian Kroshus, both Republicans, are so far running for reelection unopposed.
Delegates participate in the Democratic-NPL state convention at Bismarck State College on March 7, 2026. (Photo by Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)
Resolution push against Trump policies
Delegates also voted to criticize the Trump administration’s immigration practices at the state party convention Saturday.
The party in a resolution called on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol leaders to be removed.
Former Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp in a convention speech held up Minnesotans who protested against immigration agents as an example for North Dakotans to follow.
“They took to the street with whistles, they donated food and rides, and they recorded injustice and cruelty, and yes, they even did this at the expense of their lives,” she said, referencing the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents.
Other parts of the resolution adopted by the Democratic-NPL Party on Saturday urged North Dakota to provide universal free school lunches, to support tribal communities, called for the rollback of North Dakota’s near-total abortion ban and laws that restrict LGBTQ rights. The party also condemned Trump’s economic policies.
(Story written by Mary Steurer – North Dakota Monitor)
