BISMARCK, N.D. — Republican Rep. Kelly Armstrong hopes to assert a 3rd time period for North Dakota’s sole U.S. Home seat on Tuesday in a race that was upended by the late entry of former Miss America Cara Mund.
North Dakota
Ex-Miss America adds intrigue to North Dakota House race
Haugen quickly dropped out, citing strain from his personal celebration. That cleared the sphere for Mund, who drew media consideration however ran her race on a shoestring finances with none important funding from abortion rights teams.
Armstrong, 46, is an institution Republican with ties to the state’s dominant business, oil. A lawyer and former state senator, he has been a powerful supporter of former President Donald Trump and simply received his first two phrases.
Mund, 28, drew consideration on the Miss America pageant in 2017 by saying Trump was mistaken to withdraw the USA from the Paris local weather accords, which search to rein in greenhouse fuel emissions. She stood by these remarks at the same time as Republicans performed them up throughout this 12 months’s marketing campaign.
She additionally rejected Republicans’ efforts to color her as a Democrat in all however identify, portraying herself as an outsider beholden to neither celebration. She additionally stated she would seemingly caucus with Republicans if elected.
Armstrong questioned whether or not she could be welcome, and stated he could be higher positioned in a Home GOP majority to battle for North Dakota pursuits in agriculture and power.
Marilyn Johnson, 78, a retired trainer who stated she usually votes Republican, stated she was voting for Mund as she solid an early vote in Bismarck. Although Johnson stated she herself opposes abortion, she respects Mund’s assist for abortion rights and believes it must be a lady’s alternative.
Tim Keller, a 55-year-old contractor and a Republican, stated he didn’t purchase Mund’s declare of independence. He was backing Armstrong, who he stated is “doing a superb job.”
Armstrong held an enormous monetary benefit, elevating practically $2 million general in comparison with the roughly $78,000 Mund had raised via the top of September.
North Dakota’s solely abortion clinic, which was in Fargo, moved to neighboring Moorhead, Minnesota, this summer season even because it sought to dam the state’s set off ban in court docket.
Comply with the AP’s protection of the midterm elections at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and take a look at https://apnews.com/hub/explaining-the-elections to study extra concerning the points and components at play.