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Welcome to a special midweek message from the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Insider, a newsletter that features regular updates about upcoming Dem-NPL events, legislative happenings, and news that affects North Dakotans!
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Today's Midweek Message is an open letter to Rep. Julie Fedorchak from former State Senator Vern Thompson.
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Join us tonight at 7:00 CST in a conversation with Former DNC Chair Jaime Harrison and State Rep. Karla Rose Hanson on running for office!
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An Open Letter to Rep. Fedorchak
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Representative Julie Fedorchak
1607 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
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Happy New Year, Rep. Fedorchak.
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I pray for you in 2026. I pray for you to have clarity, courage, and a renewed commitment to the people of North Dakota — not to out-of-state donors, party pressure, or wealthy interests.
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I have known you since your days with Governor Ed Schafer while I was a State Senator. You were talented and energetic. I respected your work on the PSC. But your first year at Congress was deeply disappointing.
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When the President launched tariffs against our biggest trading partners (Canada and Mexico) you stayed silent. When he expanded tariffs to the rest of the world, farmers lost an estimated $50 billion in export markets, creating the largest farm-trade deficit in U.S. history. Respectfully, North Dakota needed your voice. Instead, we got blame-shifting and no public town halls. The $12 billion bailout is welcome news, but that does not make up for the lost revenue. Farmers are not looking for handouts. And the $20-$40 billion to Argentina did not help the farmers and ranchers you represent.
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You celebrated the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, even though independent analysis shows it adds up to $6 trillion to the deficit while making permanent tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy. Meanwhile, the bill cuts over $1.5 trillion from Medicare and Medicaid. About 1 in 3 people in North Dakota rely on one of the two programs. The $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program does not come close to covering the damage. Like the bailout to farmers, this program does not pencil out. Rural services and hospitals will feel this first.
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You refused to sign the discharge petition for the Epstein Files Transparency Act, only voting for it once it was clear it would pass without you.
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Your majority set a modern record for the fewest votes cast — 362 — and only thirty-eight bills became law in 2025. One of the least productive years in congressional history, even as families and small towns faced crisis after crisis.
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What disappoints me most is the fact that the House of Representatives was in session for less than half the year. That provided ample time for you in North Dakota to produce a plan to fix the Affordable Care Act or replace it. You did neither. And because Congress failed to extend ACA tax credits, 34,000 North Dakotans will see their premiums rise $378 to $3,735 this year. Farmers, small business owners, and the self-employed may be priced out of coverage entirely.
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I offer this tough love because lives and livelihoods are at stake. I pray for you, and I pray for every North Dakotan struggling through no fault of their own. We deserve leaders who put people first — not politics, not donors, and not party pressure.
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May 2026 be a year of truth, courage, and service.
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The Century Club supports our year-round work to build party infrastructure supporting candidate recruitment, local district and regional leadership, issue-based education, and tools for Dem-NPL success.
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Help us elect great Democrats up and down the ballot!
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The North Dakota Democratic-NPL is launching a new grassroots program called “Neighbor to Neighbor” where volunteers will connect with voters in your community to elect Democrats up and down the ballot. As a volunteer, you will be responsible for connecting with voters in 25 homes in your neighborhood or friends and family to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot about 3-4 times this year.
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Grassroots organizers are the lifeblood of the Dem-NPL! Sign up to volunteer with the Dem-NPL!
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