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Governorship and House seat on the ballot in conservative North Dakota, where GOP primaries are key

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Governorship and House seat on the ballot in conservative North Dakota, where GOP primaries are key


BISMARCK, N.D. — Voters are settling a rambunctious Republican primary contest Tuesday for North Dakota’s only U.S. House seat and a competitive race for governor, with each winner putting themselves in a commanding position for the November general election.

Also on the ballot is a high-profile initiative that would bar people from running or serving in the U.S. House or Senate if they are to turn 81 years old during their term.

The GOP primaries are key to winning office in the conservative state, where Republicans dominate and Democrats have not won a statewide contest since 2012. Some legislative races have only Republican candidates this year, and two GOP state officeholders are running unopposed.

North Dakota has no voter registration — all that’s needed to vote is an accepted ID, such as a driver’s license. Any eligible voter can vote in the Republican races as long as they stick to that party on the ballot.

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Republican Gov. Doug Burgum, who is among those being considered by former President Donald Trump as a vice presidential pick, is not seeking a third term, and U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong and Lt. Gov. Tammy Miller are facing off in the primary in hopes of succeeding him.

Armstrong, a three-term congressman, has endorsements from the state party and from Trump. Miller did not attend the GOP convention but has Burgum’s endorsement.

Democratic state Sen. Merrill Piepkorn is also running for the governorship, as is independent Michael Coachman, who once tried unsuccessfully to get a Burgum recall on the ballot. Coachman is not on the ballot on Tuesday, and has not yet submitted signatures to get onto the general election ballot.

The next governor will be tasked with balancing priorities, spending and tax cuts during a time when state finances are healthy, and also considering property tax reform, said Jim Poolman, a former Republican state insurance commissioner, lawmaker and party official.

In the race for the House seat being vacated by Armstrong, Republican contenders include military veteran and former U.S. State Department employee Alex Balazs; plastic surgeon and former state Rep. Rick Becker; longtime Public Service Commissioner Julie Fedorchak; Williston resident Sharlet Mohr; and Cara Mund, an attorney and former Miss America who ran unsuccessfully as an independent in 2022.

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The relatively little-known Balazs has the endorsement of the state party, while Trump and Burgum have endorsed Fedorchak, who has won three previous statewide races. Becker, who founded an ultraconservative caucus in the Legislature, has endorsements from U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and other conservatives in Congress. Mund is running as a moderate. Mohr is also little-known.

The campaign has been marked by tough, negative ads in a contest of “who can be the Trumpiest,” said Earl Pomeroy, a Democrat who held the seat from 1993 to 2011.

“Have we really just gotten to the point where it’s all kind of a Fox News-driven contest about national, conservative talking points, or is there still an opportunity in a congressional race to talk about hard issues facing the state and who can best address them?” Pomeroy said.

Whoever wins for the GOP will face the winner of the Democratic primary, between military veteran Trygve Hammer and frequent candidate Roland Riemers.

The ballot measure that would set the congressional age cap is intended to avoid age-related and cognitive issues among officeholders, supporters say.

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Some legal experts view it as a test case for revisiting a 1995 U.S. Supreme Court ruling against congressional term limits. A state legislative panel attached a $1 million cost estimate to the measure in anticipation of a lengthy legal challenge.

Republican U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, who is unopposed on the primary ballot Tuesday as he seeks reelection, is against the measure, saying voters should be able to choose whomever they want.

“To limit those decisions arbitrarily just doesn’t make sense to me,” Cramer said.

Despite the primaries’ decisive nature, they historically have seen low turnout, varying from 17% to 27% of eligible voters from 2014 to 2022.



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South Dakota

SD Lottery Millionaire for Life winning numbers for March 8, 2026

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The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 8, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 8 drawing

01-31-32-45-52, Bonus: 05

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

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Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

  • Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
  • Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
  • Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.

When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
  • Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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South Dakota

Kristi Noem’s term as governor freshly roasted by former South Dakota mayor: ‘She did a Sarah Palin’

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Kristi Noem’s term as governor freshly roasted by former South Dakota mayor: ‘She did a Sarah Palin’


Kristi Noem’s stint as governor of South Dakota has come under fresh scrutiny by a former local mayor, who said she “did a ‘Sarah Palin’ and quit,” just days after she was fired from her role as Homeland Security secretary.

Noem, who served as governor from 2019 to 2025, became the first cabinet member to be fired by Trump during his second term.

The embarrassing dismissal came amid growing scrutiny of her aggressive immigration operations across the country, DHS’s purchase of multiple luxury jets for staff, major reductions in FEMA staff, and rumors of an affair with adviser Corey Lewandowski.

Mike Levsen, the former mayor of Aberdeen in Noem’s home state of South Dakota, says her dismissal came as no surprise given her “lack of any significant accomplishment” during her time as governor of the state.

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“The Noem governorship covered six years — then did a ‘Sarah Palin’ and quit,” Levsen wrote in a blog post, comparing Noem to the former Alaska Gov. who resigned midway through her first term, citing mounting legal fees being brought by various ethics investigations being brought against her. Palin was Senator John McCain’s running mate during the 2008 presidential election.

Kristi Noem’s tenure as governor has come under criticism following her firing as DHS secretary (AFP/Getty)

“Her legacy was minimal involvement with the Legislature, frequent absences, no transparency, repeated operational screwups, soaring turnover and instances of self-dealing for herself and her family,” Levsen wrote.

Levsen criticized Noem’s Covid-era ad campaign, “Freedom Works Here,” as a “Trump-based ploy that likely contributed to South Dakota’s listing high on some periodical per capita death lists.”

The campaign, which attempted to draw new residents to the state, cost $6.5 million, and South Dakota News Watch reported at the time that there were “hurdles” with the campaign.

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Levsen also noted Noem’s “difficult relationship” with tribal governments, as all nine of South Dakota’s indigenous tribes voted in 2024 to ban Noem from their lands, according to CNN.

“Is there a single thing in South Dakota now better as a result of her time in office?” Levsen questioned in the post.

Noem was fired by Trump amidst mounting scrutiny over fallout in Minnesota, following DHS’s disastrous Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis, which saw two U.S. citizens shot dead in confrontations with federal agents.

Noem described the two Americans, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, as domestic terrorists. She has refused to apologize for the comments.

She also drew fierce criticism with her purchase of multiple luxury jets, a $220 million ad campaign, gutting FEMA, and her rumored affair with Lewandowski.

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Noem was axed by President Donald Trump in a Truth Social post Thursday (Getty)

Noem was axed by President Donald Trump in a Truth Social post Thursday (Getty)

The final nail in the coffin appears to have been Noem’s congressional testimony this past week, during which lawmakers from both sides of the aisle criticized her management and judgment.

A day after her second hearing, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Noem was out at DHS — and that he was nominating Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin to replace her.

An administration official told NBC News that the president axed Noem due to “a culmination of her many unfortunate leadership failures, including the fallout in Minnesota, the ad campaign, the allegations of infidelity, the mismanagement of her staff, and her constant feuding with the heads of other agencies, including CBP and ICE.”

“Kristi’s drama sadly overshadowed and distracted from the Administration’s extremely popular immigration agenda, which will continue full force,” the official added.

Before she was fired, Noem defended her performance during her hearings on Capitol Hill.

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She also drew fire for insisting that the $220 million DHS ad campaign had been launched with the president’s approval, which Trump has denied.

Days after her humiliating firing, Trump named Noem as special envoy for “The Shield of the Americas,” a new security initiative that Trump says will focus on the Western Hemisphere.



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South Dakota

SD Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for March 7, 2026

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The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 7, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 7 drawing

17-18-30-50-68, Powerball: 24, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Lotto America numbers from March 7 drawing

06-08-17-18-45, Star Ball: 05, ASB: 05

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Dakota Cash numbers from March 7 drawing

01-02-06-22-26

Check Dakota Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 7 drawing

10-32-45-53-54, Bonus: 02

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Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

  • Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
  • Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
  • Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.

When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
  • Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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