Editorial: Experience matters in North Dakota Public Service Commission, ag commissioner races

Expertise ought to matter as North Dakota voters select their leaders. And on Nov. 8, we advise they make the most of the expertise of three candidates looking for reelection as agriculture commissioner and for spots on the North Dakota Public Service Fee.

Within the race for agriculture commissioner, Doug Goehring has two essential containers checked on his resume as he runs for one more time period. First, he has that all-important on-the-job expertise. He has been answerable for the North Dakota Division of Agriculture since 2009 and, lately, he says he has labored to deal with workforce shortages, provide chain points and overreach by the federal authorities throughout his time in workplace. No matter accomplishments he claims, it’s exhausting to seek out any explicit concern that raises concern about electing him to his fourth full time period within the workplace.

Second, and most essential, Goehring is a farmer. He nonetheless runs a 2,000-acre household farm in south-central North Dakota, close to Menoken. He additionally has served in a variety of ag-related organizations, together with the North Dakota Farm Bureau, the North Dakota Stockman’s Affiliation and the North Dakota Corn Growers Affiliation.

On Nov. 8, North Dakota voters will determine if Goehring, a Republican, ought to get one other time period as he faces Democrat Fin Dooley.

Dooley doesn’t have an agriculture background, however is an environmental lawyer from Bismarck who mentioned he’s operating as a result of he desires Goehring to study extra about — and make investments extra time in — land restoration in oil-producing areas. He mentioned this election is his “final hoorah” and doesn’t plan on successful.

Dooley — just by getting his title on the poll — seems to have achieved his purpose of bringing extra consideration to land restoration. However let’s depart it at that.

We propose voting for Goehring.

Within the race for 2 spots on the Public Service Fee, voters ought to stick to incumbents Julie Fedorchak and Sheri Haugen-Hoffart. Each are Republican incumbents who, in our view, have executed nothing that ought to maintain them from persevering with on the PSC.

Fedorchak, who’s operating towards Democrat Melanie Moniz, has served on the fee since 2012. North Dakotans don’t appear to have any points together with her. She gained a particular election for her spot on the PSC in a particular election in 2014. In 2016, she gained 69% approval to ship her to a second time period.

Moniz is a member of the Three Affiliated Tribes however little else is understood about her.

The opposite race for the PSC is extra intriguing. Haugen-Hoffart has expertise on the board, but in addition fairly a little bit of associated board work earlier than she was on the PSC, together with time as a board member for Capital Electrical Cooperative and Central Energy Electrical Cooperative. In response to her bio on the PSC web site, she has served as deputy state treasurer, director of training within the North Dakota Securities Division, coordinator for the College of North Dakota’s Division of Persevering with Schooling in Bismarck and emergency service director for the Burleigh-Morton Chapter of the American Crimson Cross.

Her opponent, Trygve Hammer, seems to be candidate: A former Marine officer who desires to maintain utility charges low “whereas enriching and defending our treasured panorama.” His management abilities might be helpful in workplace. However when he ran for a spot within the Legislature in 2020, he acquired solely 12% of the vote.

Contemplating Haugen-Hoffart’s expertise on the PSC and in different positions, we give her the sting.

For PSC, our votes will go to Fedorchak and Haugen-Hoffart.

The endorsement represents the opinion of Discussion board Communications Co. administration.