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Welcome to 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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Did you know the DNC hosts a morning news show called the Daily Blueprint that is livestreamed on YouTube weekdays at 9 AM CDT? You can watch it live or later on the DNC’s YouTube channel here.
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Finally Friday Social!
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Fri, January 23, 2026 6:00 PM CST
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Come celebrate Friday with the Souris Valley Dem-NPL!
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YOU. CAN. RUN. A discussion with Kathy Hogan and Greg Clark
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Sat, January 24, 2026 10:00 PM CST
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Fargo Dem-NPL Office
1325 23rd Street South, Suite B, Fargo
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Want to make a difference? Thinking of running for office? This is for you!
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Join Senate Minority Leader Kathy Hogan and Fargo School Board Member Greg Clark to learn about running for office up or down the ballot!
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District 29 Planning Meeting
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Sat, January 24, 2026 1:00 PM CST
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Join us for a convention planning meeting
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District 2 Democratic-NPL Convention
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Saturday, January 24, 2026, 1:00 PM
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412 Main Street, Wildrose
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Come to the District 2 Democratic-NPL Convention! Trygve Hammer, the 2024 Democratic-NPL candidate for U.S. House of Representatives, will be our featured speaker.
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We will complete our District 2 platform, which will then help inform the North Dakota Democratic-NPL platform.
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We will elect seven delegates to attend the state convention, which will be held March 6-8 in Bismarck. Please consider being a delegate!
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More about Trygve:
Marine veteran, oilfield worker, community leader, and former Congressional candidate, Trygve Hammer, brings hard-won insight and a deep belief in the power of words. His talks blend real-world experience, reflection, and humor, leaving audiences challenged, inspired, and changed.
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Williston Area District Conventions
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Saturday, January 24, 2026, 1:00 PM
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Ernie French Center
14120 50th Ave NW, Williston
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District 1, 23, and 26 Dem-NPL will holding our Nomination Convention on January 24 at 1pm. It will be held at the Ernie French Center, 14120 50th St. NW.
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We will be nominating legislative candidates. We will also be nominating delegates to the State Convention in Bismarck in March. We will also be adopting resolutions for the State Convention.
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District 29 Planning Meeting
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Sun, January 25, 2026 1:00 PM CST
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Join us for a convention planning meeting
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District 24 Democratic-NPL Convention
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Sunday, January 25, 2026, 2 PM CST
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Gaukler Wellness Center, Room 207
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733 8th Ave SW, Valley City
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District 24 will hold its 2026 Convention and January meeting on Sunday, January 25, 2026, at the Gaukler Wellness Center, Room 207, beginning at 2:00 p.m. The Gaukler Wellness Center is located at 733 8th Ave SW, Valley City.
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The purpose of the convention is to elect delegates to the State Democratic–NPL Convention, scheduled for March 6–8, 2026, in Bismarck, North Dakota. District 24 is required to elect 13 delegates, along with a number of alternate delegates.
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In addition, we will discuss and vote to approve a District 24 document that includes our platform, resolutions, and policies.
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This convention is an important opportunity for our district to come together and discuss strategies for electing Democrats in the upcoming election.
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Please join us. Refreshments will be provided.
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District 25 Democratic-NPL Convention
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Sunday, January 25, 2026, 3 PM CST
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Twin Town Tavern
404 Dakota Ave, Wahpeton
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Join us for the District 25 Democratic-NPL Convention!
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IDN Brave of Us Tour – Fargo & Moorhead | Constitutional Observer Training
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Tuesday, January 27, 2026 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM CT
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The Immigrant Defense Network's Brave of Us Tour is a multi-city effort across the Upper Midwest to strengthen community readiness, solidarity, and response.
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This training will prepare participants to serve as Constitutional Observers, helping ensure rights are respected and communities are supported during moments of fear or harm and be added to IDN's rapid response network.
By registering, you will receive event updates, location details, and follow-up information as it becomes available.
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Winter Blue Dinner Dem-NPL District 12
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Friday, January 30, 2026, 6 PM CST
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The Bunker
1520 3rd St SE, Jamestown
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When: January 30, 2026 at 6:00pm
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Where: The Bunker in Jamestown
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What: Homemade BBQ pork and sides, annual pie auction, silent auction, and inspiring speakers!
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Whether it’s an evening gown or crewneck sweatshirt, wear your favorite blue for this fun, family-friendly event. We look forward to intergenerational capacity building to support strong candidates in 2026, 2028, 2032 and beyond.
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Do you believe one shouldn’t have to be a self-funded millionaire to run for elected office and serve our community? We’re building an infrastructure of support for candidates with integrity, connection, and empathy.
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To reserve tickets alternatively to online, you can mail a check to:
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Northern Valley Dems District Conventions - NEW TIME
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Saturday, January 31, 2026 9:30 CST
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1205 N 43rd St, Grand Forks
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Districts 17, 18, 19, 20, 42, and 43 - Districts 17, 19, and 43 will be able to nominate a full slate of legislative candidates and District 42 will be able to nominate a state representative candidate. Registration will begin at 9:30 AM
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All Districts will be able to elect delegates to the Democratic-NPL State Convention.
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District 9 Democratic-NPL Convention
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Sunday, February 1, 2026, 2 PM CST
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Sky Dancer Casino & Resort
3965 Sky Dancer Way NE, Belcourt
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Sky Dancer Casino and Resort 3965 Sky Dancer Way NE, Belcourt, ND, United States
Join us for the District 9 Democratic-NPL Convention to nominate candidates for the legislature and to elect delegates to the State Convention in Bismarck!
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District 29 Democratic-NPL
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Sunday, February 1, 2026, 2 PM CST
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Pekin Community Center
Pekin
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Join us for the District 29 Democratic-NPL Convention! Delegates will be selected for the State Convention in Bismarck and endorse candidates for the N.D. House of Representatives and N.D. Senate.
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District 14 Democratic-NPL Convention
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Thurday, February 5, 2026, 5:30 PM CST
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Come to the District 14 Democratic-NPL Convention!
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District 15 Democratic-NPL Convention
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Saturday, February 7, 2026, 10:00 AM CST
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Community Rm, Lake Region Public Library
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423 7th St NE, Devils Lake
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Come to the District 15 Democratic-NPL Convention!
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Cass County Dem-NPL District Conventions
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Saturday, Feb 7, 2026 10 AM CST
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Districts 10, 11, 13, 16, 21, 22, 27, 41, 44, 45, 46 - Districts 11, 13, 21, 27, 41, and 45 will be able to nominate a full slate of legislative candidates.
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All Districts will be able to elect delegates to the Democratic-NPL State Convention.
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Bismarck Mandan Dem-NPL District Conventions
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Saturday, Feb 7, 2026 1:00 PM CST
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Horizon Middle School
500 Ash Coulee Dr, Bismarck
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Districts 7, 8, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 47 - Districts 7, 31, 33, 35, and 47 will be able to nominate a full slate of legislative candidates.
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All Districts will be able to elect delegates to the Democratic-NPL State Convention.
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Souris Valley Dem-NPL District Conventions
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Tuesday, Feb 10, 2026 6:00 PM
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Parker Center
21 1st Ave SE, Minot
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Parker Center (21 1st Ave SE, Minot, ND) on Tuesday, February 10th. There will be a social from 6PM – 6:30PM followed by the meeting from 6:30PM which will include the endorsement of District 3 & 5 candidates and election of state delegates.
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Help us spread our message—share these recent posts!
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North Dakota Democrat Trygve Hammer announces second run for US House
Trygve Hammer is a retired Marine Corps officer and a veteran of the Global War on Terror. In his civilian life, he taught 7-12 grade science in a rural school, worked on oil rigs in the Bakken, as a freight rail conductor, and as a counselor for Job Corps in Minot. In 2024, Hammer received 30% of the statewide vote while Fedorchak received 70%, and he announced with Joel that he will be running against Congresswoman Fedorchak again this year.
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Joel Heitkamp and Senator Kent Conrad remember Byron Knutson, former legislator, Marine, and friend
Joel Heitkamp is joined on "News and Views" by former United States Senator, Kent Conrad, to remember their friend, Byron Knutson, who passed away December 6. Joel also gets Senator Conrad's take on the current political climate around Greenland and the United States.
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Byron Knutson, who joined Martin Luther King Jr., in the 1965 voting rights march from Selma to
Montgomery, Ala., passed away December 6 in Bismarck at 96, surrounded by family. North Dakota voters elected Knutson to serve as legislator, insurance commissioner, and labor commissioner. He served in the Korean War as a Marine in the 1950s.
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North Dakota Heads to Special Session This Week
Zac Ista, House Minority Leader, join Afternoons Live with Tyler Axness en route to Bismarck for the special session.
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Letter: Wrigley is wrong
The attorney general's opinion was requested by the secretary of state. The attorney general's response should have been that his jurisdiction is to offer opinions about state law but the Ethics Commission does not make law, rather it makes ethics rules. Law is a formal system of rules enforced by government. Ethics is a set of moral principles guiding what individuals and societies deem to be right or wrong. Thus, he should have told the secretary of state that, as the attorney general, it was not appropriate for him to render an opinion on this question.
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North Dakota Senate narrowly defeats free school meal bill
“Providing school meals at no cost is one of the most effective, research-backed ways to strengthen academic performance, reduce stress on families, and give every child a fair shot. That’s why I’m committed to helping move this forward because feeding kids isn’t just good policy, it’s the right thing to do for their future,” Robin Nelson, chair of the measure’s sponsoring committee, said in a statement after the vote.
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No universal free meals for North Dakota K-12 students, lawmakers decide
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Approving free lunches fits in with the goal of the special session to make North Dakota healthier, said Sen. Tim Mathern, D-Fargo. He said he isn’t scared of the measure, adding lawmakers shouldn’t quibble about whether the rich or poor will have food.
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“Let’s just say everybody is going to have food,” he said. “I think that’s what this bill says.”
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House lawmakers discuss free school meal bill
Other supporters say it’s an opportunity to help parents who are struggling with other expenses.
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“What voters care about is affordability. This is the affordability bill before us in this special session. It is our only chance to send money back to our voters’ pockets this year,” said Rep. Zac Ista, D-Grand Forks.
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Legislative Management Moves Forward Universal School Lunch Bill
Senate Minority Leader Kathy Hogan (D-Fargo) remarked, “One in seven children in this state lives in poverty. Poverty is often invisible.” Hogan emphasized that parents may feel embarrassed or not have the capacity to complete the current paperwork to sign their children up for free or reduced lunch.
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Harold Hamm to shut down oil drilling in North Dakota
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Harold Hamm, founder of Continental Resources, one of the largest oil companies in North Dakota, plans to halt drilling in the state.
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According to a report from Bloomberg, Hamm said he plans to stop drilling in North Dakota’s Bakken for the first time in 30 years because of low crude oil prices.
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Republican Senators Spoil School Meal Bill
House Minority Leader Zac Ista remarked, “The Republican legislature has proven time and time again that they will not pass a popular bill to feed North Dakota kids and make life more affordable for families. This was the only chance we had to put money back in people’s pockets, and the Republican dominated Senate dropped the ball.”
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Three journalists, Jack Zaleski, Jane Ahlin, and Al Aamodt bring their expertise to the current news cycle
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Al Aamodt worked at WDAY for 35 years, as an Editor at KVLY, was a news broadcaster at KFGO, and taught at MSUM. Jack Zaleski is a Columnist at the Forum and was their editorial page Editor for 30 years, and also was Editor of the Devils Lake Daily Journal. Jane Ahlin is a Columnist for The Forum and taught English at MSUM, and is an alum from UND and MSUM.
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All three journalists join Joel Heitkamp in the KFGO studio to cover all of the recent news, including ICE in Minneapolis, President Trump working to take Greenland, and more.
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AFL-CIO: Friday is “ICE Out of Minnesota: Day of Truth & Freedom”
Bernie Burnham is President of the Minnesota AFL-CIO, and spent 14 years as an elementary school teacher. Mark Froemke is the President of the West Minnesota Area and Red River Valley Area AFL-CIO. Friday is “ICE Out of Minnesota: Day of Truth & Freedom,” a general strike that encourages all Minnesotans to stay home from work, school and refrain from shopping to protest the presence of ICE.
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North Dakota free school meals bill narrowly gets committee recommendation
Some lawmakers, such as state Rep. Zac Ista, D-Grand Forks, expressed enthusiastic support for Nathe's bill.
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"There's an affordability crisis, not just in North Dakota but the country, and I think this speaks directly to that as one of the few levers we have at our disposal to get money back into everyone's pocket yet this calendar year," he said.
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Together for School Meals Coalition hosting volunteer trainings - Robin Nelson explains
Robin Nelson is the chair of the Together for School Meals Coalition, joins Joel on "News and Views" to talk about their coalition working to get school meals and tell listeners how to learn more and help.
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Port: Ignoring the clear will of the people, the Senate kills school meals bill
The question of universal school meals is, based on multiple public opinion polls, including one released by Gov. Kelly Armstrong himself, an 80/20 issue with the public. The support is overwhelming. When Together for School Meals, a ballot measure committee currently circulating petitions for a school meals amendment, gets its proposal on the ballot, the voters will approve it overwhelmingly. Legislators had a chance to keep that mandate out of the constitution, to give themselves the flexibility to handle that appropriation even in times of scarce revenues, and they rebuked it.
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Check out these posts from national Democrats
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Unbelievable ICE Memo Just Leaked
DHS is instructing ICE cops to break down doors without obtaining a warrant, a blatant violation of the 4th Amendment
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BREAKING: Horrifying New Video of ICE In Minneapolis Goes VIRAL
Devastating ICE footage has gone viral, sparking outrage across the political spectrum — even Joe Rogan has called the incident horrific. Jon Favreau and Tommy Vietor react to the latest fallout and why MAGA is turning on Trump.
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UK's Starmer calls Trump's remarks on allies in Afghanistan 'frankly appalling'
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called U.S. President Donald Trump's comments about European troops staying off the front lines in Afghanistan insulting and appalling, joining a chorus of criticism from other European officials and veterans.
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"I consider President Trump's remarks to be insulting and frankly appalling, and I'm not surprised they've caused such hurt for the loved ones of those who were killed or injured," Starmer told reporters.
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35 Days Overdue: Where Are The Epstein Files?
“How much longer will Donald Trump stonewall the release of the Epstein files? More than a month has passed since Trump and his Justice Department were legally required to release them, while Epstein’s victims continue to beg for the truth. Instead, Trump is choosing to break the law to protect pedophiles, save himself from embarrassment, and deny justice and transparency to Epstein’s victims and the American people. Trump has made it clear he will do anything to protect the rich and powerful — and Americans have had enough. Trump’s DOJ must release the full Epstein files now.”
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The Trump administration admits even more ways DOGE accessed sensitive personal data
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In the filing, Justice Department lawyers representing the Social Security Administration wrote that two SSA DOGE employees were referred to a federal watchdog to determine whether they violated a law barring government employees from using their job for political activity, known as the Hatch Act.
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The unnamed employees secretly conferred with a political advocacy group about a request to match Social Security data with state voter rolls to "find evidence of voter fraud and to overturn election results in certain States," the filing said. It remains unclear whether any data actually went to this group.
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"Based on its review of records obtained during or after October 2025, SSA identified communications, use of data, and other actions by the then-SSA DOGE Team that were potentially outside of SSA policy and/or noncompliant with the District Court's March 20, 2025, temporary restraining order," DOJ attorneys wrote.
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Complaint Accuses Trump’s Criminal Attorney of “Blatant” Crypto Conflict in His Role at DOJ
The complaint comes after a ProPublica investigation revealed last month that Todd Blanche owned at least $159,000 worth of crypto-related assets when he ordered an end to investigations into crypto companies, dealers and exchanges launched during President Joe Biden’s term. Blanche, the deputy attorney general, issued the order in an April memo in which he also eliminated an enforcement team dedicated to looking for crypto-related fraud and money-laundering schemes.
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Vance: The Trump-Vance Economy is Sinking Like the Titanic
“Donald Trump and JD Vance have sunk the economy, and they have no intention of rescuing everyday Americans who are being crushed by high prices or shut out by the job market. Trump and Vance can try to gaslight the American people all they want, but it’s clear as day that their disastrous economic policies have made life nearly impossible for working families as they secure kickbacks for their billionaire buddies and focus on foreign conflicts. It’s no wonder Republicans are dreading the midterms.”
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Target of Viral Botched ICE Raid Was Already in Prison
WHEN ICE AGENTS DETAINED U.S. citizen ChongLy Thao in Minneapolis this weekend—breaking down his door and escorting him half-naked into the snow—administration officials claimed they’d been looking for a pair of sex-criminal migrants at the address. DHS plastered images of the two men they were hunting across social media with dire warnings that they remained “at large,” imploring the public to call in tips.
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But there was one place they apparently hadn’t bothered to look: the Minnesota prison system. That’s where Lue Moua, one of DHS’s purported targets, has been since a 2024 conviction on charges including felony kidnapping.
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'The damage has been done': As Trump claims victory on Greenland, Europe loses trust
“The damage has already been done,” said Aurel Sari, a professor of international law at the University of Exeter in England. “NATO is based on shared values and trust. What is becoming very clear to European leaders, and to Canada, as well, is that those values are not shared anymore. And the trust is simply not there.”
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Jack Smith Testifies While Republicans Insult Our Intelligence
Will Saletan carefully dissects Jack Smith’s congressional testimony and shows how House Republicans used the hearing to distort the investigation and shield Donald Trump.
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US House votes down measure to rein in Trump action against Venezuela
The U.S. House failed Thursday to back a resolution curbing President Donald Trump’s military operations abroad, following U.S. intervention to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
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Thursday’s resolution tied at 215-215. If passed, it would have directed “the President to remove United States Armed Forces from Venezuela, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization for use of military force.”
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Superintendent of detained 5-year-old's school: DHS 'using a child as a political pawn'
There is growing outrage after five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos was detained by ICE in Minnesota. Zena Stenvik, Superintendent of Columbia Heights Public Schools where Liam is a student, joins Chris Jansing to speak out about Ramos' case.
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Trump's pardons forgive financial crimes that came with hundreds of millions in punishments
Over half of Trump’s 88 individual pardons are for white-collar offenses, with money laundering, bank fraud and wire fraud among the most frequent crimes the president has wiped clean.
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Share these Dem-NPL Graphics!
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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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