North Dakota governor and Congressional candidates to debate

Published by The Bismark Tribune | August 6, 2024

North Dakota candidates for governor and Congress will square off in debates as the November general election nears.

The debates will be sponsored by AARP North Dakota and hosted by the nonprofit Prairie Public Broadcasting. All three will air live on Prairie Public’s TV and radio networks, and will be streamed live online.

Republican Julie Fedorchak and Democrat Trygve Hammer, who are running for North Dakota's sole seat in the U.S. House, will debate Thursday, Sept. 26, from 7-8 p.m. Fedorchak is a member of the regulatory state Public Service Commission; Hammer is a military veteran.

Incumbent Republican Kevin Cramer and Democratic-NPL challenger Katrina Christiansen, who are running for U.S. Senate, will debate Wednesday, Oct. 2, from 7-8 p.m. Cramer is seeking a second six-year term; Christiansen is an assistant engineering professor at the University of Jamestown who is making a second bid for Congress.

Republican Kelly Armstrong and Democrat Merrill Piepkorn, who are seeking the governor seat being vacated by Gov. Doug Burgum, will debate Thursday, Oct. 10, from 7-8 p.m. Armstrong is leaving his U.S. House seat to seek the governorship; Piepkorn is a state senator from Fargo. 

U.S. Air Force veteran Michael Coachman also is running for governor as an independent. He didn't qualify for the ballot until last month, after the debate had been finalized, according to Prairie Public Communications Manager Christine McClellan.

"It’s yet to be confirmed if he will be there," she said Tuesday.

Prairie Public News Director Dave Thompson or Prairie Public Producer Matt Olien will moderate the debates.

The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Republicans typically dominate the general election in conservative North Dakota. The GOP has held the governor’s office since 1992. Former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp was the last Democratic member of North Dakota's congressional delegation; she was ousted in 2018 by Cramer. North Dakota's other U.S. senator, John Hoeven, has served since 2011.