Via NDGOP Facebook
Tensions reached a new level within the North Dakota Republican Party this weekend, as convention delegates narrowly approved a motion to strip the “Republican brand” from statewide incumbents who skipped the state convention, according to the North Dakota Monitor.
The move followed a decision by all statewide Republican officeholders running for reelection to bypass the endorsing convention, with the goal of appealing directly to voters in the June primary.
Late Saturday, delegates voted 318-312 in favor of a motion by Jerol Gohrick, chair of District 2 GOP, to remove the party’s label from absent incumbents. On Sunday, an attempt to reconsider and undo the vote failed 311-297, leaving the symbolic gesture in place. The Monitor reports that Secretary of State Michael Howe noted that only the legislature can change the party labels that appear on the official state ballot. Governor Armstrong said the same.
Only two candidates received an official party endorsement this year: Alex Balazs for U.S. House, and Deven Styczynski for a 6-year term on the Public Service Commission.
Rep. Bernie Satrom of Jamestown expressed concern that the decision may have damaged the party; in a quote to the ND Monitor, he said, “We just put a nail in the coffin of the NDGOP,” Satrom said. “In my opinion, that was really a stupid move.” Senate Majority Leader David Hogue said that the move was unnecessarily divisive, and that “a house divided against itself cannot stand.”
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