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North Dakota shows most support for Christian nationalism in US, new study finds

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North Dakota shows most support for Christian nationalism in US, new study finds


FARGO — North Dakota was an outlier in a recent study which used the largest dataset ever assembled to determine attitudes toward Christian nationalism in the United States.

Data from the nonpartisan, nonprofit Public Religion Research Institute found

that while more than two-thirds of Americans are either skeptical of or reject Christian nationalism, half of 158 North Dakotans polled are supporters of or adherents to it.

The respondents of the survey were asked the degree to which they agreed or disagreed with the following series of statements, which are the main tenets of Christian nationalism:

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  • “The U.S. government should declare America a Christian nation.”
  • “U.S. laws should be based on Christian values.”
  • “If the U.S. moves away from our Christian foundations, we will not have a country any more.”
  • “Being Christian is an important part of being truly American.”
  • “God has called Christians to exercise dominion over all areas of American society.”

Once considered a far-right fringe ideology, Christian nationalism has been steadily gaining adherents in the U.S. over the last two decades. In recent years, that momentum has accelerated in parallel with the popularity of former President Donald Trump.

Christian nationalist ideology is often used as the primary driver behind the imposition of abortion and book bans, school curriculum restrictions, and limitations of the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals.

North Dakota appears to be at the vanguard of that growing movement, according to the study.

The study showed the top five states for support of Christian nationalism were North Dakota, Mississippi (50%), Alabama (47%), West Virginia (47%) and Louisiana (46%).

Republicans (55%) were more than twice as likely as independents (25%) and more than three times as likely as Democrats (16%) to hold Christian nationalist views, according to the study. Among Trump supporters, 55% have Christian nationalist sympathies, whereas only 15% of President Joe Biden supporters espouse Christian nationalism.

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In North Dakota, the state legislature has been in the spotlight in recent sessions for constitutionally murky efforts to restrict transgender rights, allow public funding of religious schools, and authorize the posting of the Ten Commandments in public schools.

Cody Schuler, advocacy manager for the American Civil Liberties Union of North Dakota, said the constitutional right to religious belief and expression is being used to attack another Constitutional right — that which prohibits the government from preferring religion over non-religion, or favoring one religion over another.

“Regardless of whether they name it, or someone wears a Christian nationalist badge or not, we see those sympathies at every turn. The principles that are named in the study are clearly present in the practical and pragmatic way that politics are being exercised in our state today. We are seeing North Dakota lawmakers seek to put their religious perspectives into law and, in many cases, be very open about that. It has been at the heart of most of our culture war debates — this idea of imposing Christian ideals into the way that the state is governed,” Schuler said.

We are seeing North Dakota lawmakers seek to put their religious perspectives into law and, in many cases, be very open about that.

Cody Schuler, advocacy manager for the ACLU of North Dakota

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At least one North Dakota legislator has

recently and publicly professed Christian nationalist views.

In an October post on X, formerly Twitter, Bismarck Republican Rep. Brandon Prichard wrote, “Evey conservative state should put into code that Jesus Christ is King and dedicate their state to Him…We need a government of Christians, not fakers.”

Two other Republican legislators, Janne Myrdal and Mike Wobbema,

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turned their backs

to a guest chaplain last session when her prayer paid tribute to racial and gender diversity. They accused the chaplain of lobbying from the pulpit, and

later accused

former Lt. Gov. Lloyd Omdahl, a North Dakota political columnist, of having a “misunderstanding of Christian, Biblical Doctrine having manifested itself under the umbrella of our current state of social issues,” when

he questioned their decorum.

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Neighboring states showed mixed results in the study. In Minnesota, just 28% of respondents showed adherence or support for Christian nationalism, while 42% of South Dakotans espoused it.

Respondents in California, New York, and Virginia were the least supportive of Christian nationalism, with more than 75% identifying as rejectors or skeptics.





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ND State Fair completes 2026 grandstand lineup with EDM artist Zedd, ‘Turn Up ND!’

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ND State Fair completes 2026 grandstand lineup with EDM artist Zedd, ‘Turn Up ND!’


MINOT, N.D. (KMOT) – We now know the entertainers who will round out this year’s North Dakota State Fair grandstand lineup.

In what is a first for the state fair, Zedd will put on an EDM show at the grandstand on Friday, July 24. He’s an award-winning artist and DJ, known for hits like ‘Clarity’ and ‘The Middle.’

The show will feature immersive production, sound and visuals. Tickets will be just over $58, including fees.

The fair wraps up on Saturday, July 25, with this year’s ‘Turn Up ND’ show. It features TI, Da-Baby and Waka Flocka Flame.

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All three have made a name for themselves in the trap and hip-hop music genres.

Tickets for this show are just over $78, including fees.

So here’s a look at the full lineup, which is packed with some major stars, featuring Alex Warren, Jon Pardi, Jessie Murph, Niko Moon and Zach Top.

The fair will hold two days of the popular MHA Indian Horse Relays on July 20 and 21.

For information on tickets, dates and more, go to ndstatefair.com.

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Darlene Struble

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Darlene Struble


Darlene Kay Struble was born April 11, 1946 in Valley City, ND to Frank and Ruby (Satreaas) Klima. She grew up in LaMoure, ND and graduated from LaMoure High School 1964. After graduation, Darlene continued her education at North Dakota State School of Science in Wahpeton before completing her LPN training in Grand Forks. 

Darlene married the love of her life, Charles Struble, on October 25, 1969 at Trinity Lutheran Church. Together, they made their home in Jamestown where she began her career in the OB department at Jamestown Hospital. Her dedication to caring for others continued throughout her professional life, later leading her to Dakota Clinic in Jamestown. Her work was an extension of her compassionate spirit, and she touched many lives until her retirement in 2009. 

She filled her days with many loves; her family above all, but also the quiet joys of gardening, flowers, sewing, crafts, and scrap booking. She had a special gift of preserving memories, and spent countless hours gathering family history. Darlene started her day at the Depot Cafe nearly every morning. It was a simple tradition, but one she shared with her children, friends, and eventually grandchildren. Not only were Depot mornings filled with love and laughter, but an abundance of Mickey Mouse shaped pancakes. 

Darlene passed away peacefully on March 23rd 2026 at Eventide in Jamestown, surrounded by the love of her family. She leaves behind her husband Chuck, her sons; Cory (Deb) Struble and Dave (Leslie) Struble, two sisters; Linda (Gary) Kraft and Roberta (Karl) Wilhelm, six grandchildren; Jayden (Darsh), Allie, Jonah, Grace, Evyn, and Owen, and seven nieces and nephews. She has been reunited with her parents, her daughter, Tiffiney Dick, and her sister, Mary Lee Guffy.

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In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Jamestown Regional Medical Center Foundations, specifically to the OB ward.

Memorial Service- 3:30 PM Saturday, March 28, 2026 at Haut Funeral Home in Jamestown, ND, with Pastor Kristi Weber, officiating.

Interment- Highland Home Cemetery, Jamestown, ND (at a later date).





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Hope’s Corner: Hope Springs Eternal

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Hope’s Corner: Hope Springs Eternal


I spent the first day of spring, last Friday, weeding my back yard flower beds. Let that sink in, because this is North Dakota. We have April showers in May, and May flowers in June. We sometimes have snow in June, too. Weeding my tulips in March is a first.

The tulips have been up for a couple of weeks in my south-facing gardens. The six inches of snow last weekend did not deter their enthusiasm. According to the South Dakota State University Extension Service, tulips close to our shared border usually begin to appear in late March and early April. Mine are early risers this year. I blame the switch to Daylight Saving Time.

My yarrow and hollyhocks have been green and growing for four weeks. The yarrow was a little miffed at the one subzero night a week or so ago, but the hollyhocks merely flattened out and took it in stride. Our friends at the South Dakota Extension Service assure me both of those plant varieties normally sprout in mid-May. Maybe the frequent solar storms and northern lights displays have affected them.

Shortly after that subzero stretch in February, which Katie the Wonder Puppy and I called The Degrees of Despair, the pussywillow began to bud. I cut my first bouquet this past Friday the 13th. And did you know the blossoms are called catkins?

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That shrub is only a couple weeks early in blooming. Obviously, like all cats, my pussywillow is indifferent to solar storms, the northern lights, and Daylight Saving Time. When its feet get warm enough, it stretches out and basks in the sun. Wild catnip has, however, sprouted near the pussywillow’s trunk. I suspect some deep-rooted drug dependency at work there.

But, weeds? There is wild horseradish marching across my tastefully scattered scoria chips. There is quackgrass strangling daylilies and yarrow. There are weeds of unknown name towering over my tulips. Actually, I have a name for those weeds, but that name is best kept to myself.

I pulled out one quackgrass clump, and I am pretty sure its far end stretched all the way to Gladstone. It was like pulling one of those string strips from the top of a fifty-pound sack of sunflower seeds. Not that I regularly buy fifty-pound bags of sunflower seeds for the neighborhood birds, or anything.

I was feeling pretty smug last Saturday after I finished all my weeding. I figured I would need to start mowing in a few more days. I began looking at seed catalogs and dreaming of Big Boy tomato plants.

Late Saturday evening Katie and I went outside to take in the fresh air. It was snowing. Gotta love North Dakota.

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Jackie Hope is the longest running Dickinson Press contributor and columnist. Hope’s Corner is a weekly humorous column with a message of hope.





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