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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! If you would like to have something added to the newsletter, email us at [email protected]. Spread the word of our newsletter by sharing our sign-up link today: https://demnpl.com/join-our-newsletter/.
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No one is above the rule of law, that includes Former Presidents. Donald Trump chose to engage in criminal activity, and his choice should upset all Americans no matter their political stripe.
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It’s also been disappointing—and frankly infuriating—to see folks like Doug Burgum, Kelly Armstrong, Julie Fedorchak, and Rick Becker stumbling over themselves to suck up to a man who’s been found liable for sexual assault, paid off a porn star he slept with while his wife was pregnant, tried to overthrow an election, and is now a convicted felon. It’s not a badge of honor to be tied to this man, it’s shameful.
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Upcoming Events!
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Meet and Greet Statewide Candidates
Friday, May 31, 2024 – 5:00 PM
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903 Park St W, Park River
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Come meet Democratic-NPL Candidates!
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Merrill Piepkorn, Governor with Patrick Hart, Lt. Governor
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Katrina Christiansen, Senate
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Legislative candidates from Districts 18, 20, 42
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Piepkorn Prairie Fire Picnic - Washburn Riverboat Weekend
Saturday, June 1, 2024 – Parade at 10:30 AM
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1436 Main Avenue, Washburn
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On Saturday June 1st LaurieBeth Hager will be hosting a Meet & Greet for Merrill Piepkorn and Patrick Hart at 1436 Main Avenue in Washburn. Folks can stop by for light refreshments between the events or all day. The Riverboat Parade is at 10:30. There is also a Flueskekle Feed, an Ice Cream Social and a Rodeo.
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Bagel’s with Schloegel: Get Out the Vote Edition
Sunday, June 2, 2024 – 4:00 PM
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Babb’s Coffee House 119 1st St W, Jamestown, 58401
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Drop in for coffee, bagels (or muffin or scone) and good conversation. It’s important to learn from each other and I look forward to hearing from you! The “Get out the Vote” edition will include ways we can all remind our friends and neighbors about voting in the election on June 11, 2024. RSVPs are not required but if you say “attend” or “interested” on the facebook event page it will help spread the word about this event!
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District 14 Campaign Kick-Off Party
Sunday, June 2, 2024 – 4:00 PM
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Meet District 14 Dem-NPL candidates: Mark Nelson, Senate Jessica Hawkes & Cathy Jelsing, House
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Hosted by Rugby Kitchen Cabinet: Joel & Carol Braaten, Gerry Brenno, Tim & Sheila Ostrem
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Address: 223 2nd St., Fillmore, ND 58332
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Directions from ND Hwy 3 “Balta turn”: 9 miles east on 53rd St NE (toward Silva), 1 mile north on 38th Ave NE, then turn east into Fillmore and follow the signs.
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RSVP not required, but appreciated: [email protected] www.demnpl.com/district14candidates
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Cass County DEM Policy Meeting
Tuesday, June 4, 2024 – 5:30 PM
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Fargo Democratic-NPL Office 1325 23rd Street South, Suite B, Fargo
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A meeting of the Cass County Democratic-NPL Policy Committee.
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District 10 Candidates & Canines
Saturday, June 8, 2024 – 10:00 AM
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Urban Plains Park 5050 30th Ave S., Fargo
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Join us for a fun time in the park with dogs and Dems! Bring your dog friends to meet Sen. Ryan Braunberger and Rep. Hamida Dakane! Free coffee, donuts, and treats!
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Merrill Piepkorn’s 75th Birthday!
Sunday, June 9, 2024 – 2:00 PM
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Crooked Lane Farm 17385 Co Hwy 4, Colfax
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Enjoy pulled pork and turkey, baked beans, potato salad, summer pasta salad, fresh fruit, bars, cookies, lemonade and water. A cash bar will be available.
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Entertainment by: The Radio Stars and other musical surprises!
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NOTE: Due to limited capacity at the venue, RSVPs will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
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There is no charge for this event, but a freewill donation to fund Merrill’s campaign for Governor is much appreciated.
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RSVP by JUNE 3 at https://www.merrillfornd.com/rsvp
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Northern Valley Dems Election Night Party
Tuesday, June 11, 2024 – 7:00 PM
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4526 83rd St S Grand Forks, ND 58201
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Enjoy some apps, visit with candidates, and watch primary results come in!
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June 11th Election night watch party Kingpinz
Tuesday, June 11, 2024 – 7:30 PM
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Kingpinz 3485 Jacks Way S. Fargo
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Join us for our Cass County Dems Election Night Watch party @ Kingpinz, 3485 Jacks Way S Fargo, ND. 7:30-10:30
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Statewide Policy Committee Meeting
Wednesday, June 12, 2024 – 6:30 PM
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Meeting of the leadership of the State Party
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Family Fun Flag Day!
Wednesday, June 12, 2024 – 5:30 PM
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University Park University Ave. Grand Forks , ND 58201
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Meeting of the leadership of the State Party
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Pride Month Happy Hour & LGBT Legislative Candidate Fundraiser
Wednesday, June 12, 2024 – 5:30 PM
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Jasper Continental Ballroom & Balcony 215 Broadway N, Fargo
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Hosted by Rep. Josh Boschee – Join us for this fundraiser to benefit. candidates Sen. Ryan Braunberger, D10, Kyle Thorsen, D18 Candidate for Senate, Darrell Hansen, D22 Candidate for House, and Austin Foss, D44 Candidate for House.
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Help us spread our message—share these posts from the past week!
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Jury convicts Trump on all 34 counts in hush money trial; ND politicians, Dem-NPL respond
Biden-Harris 2024 campaign released a statement saying: “In New York today, we saw that no one is above the law. Donald Trump has always mistakenly believed he would never face consequences for breaking the law for his own personal gain. But today’s verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality. There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box. Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president. The threat Trump poses to our democracy has never been greater. He is running an increasingly unhinged campaign of revenge and retribution, pledging to be a dictator ‘on day one’ and calling for our Constitution to be ‘terminated’ so he can regain and keep power. A second Trump term means chaos, ripping away Americans’ freedoms and fomenting political violence— and the American people will reject it this November.”
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Letter: Piepkorn is best for North Dakota
In November, there is an alternative candidate to vote for, Merrill Piepkorn. I know Merrill, I served with him in the Legislature, and he is a great guy. He will govern our State on what’s right for us, not on a personal agenda to further the future of the Republican candidates. Tammy would lead you to believe that you need to be the CEO of a large corporation to be our Governor. Merrill has experience with his own small company plus years in marketing and advertising. He is a business man
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Man who sexually abused multiple children, had thousands of child sex abuse files gets 40 years in prison
He has been connected to former Sen. Ray Holmberg, R-Grand Forks, through text message logs and an investigation into Morgan-Derosier regarding construction fraud.
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Holmberg now faces federal charges after prosecutors alleged he traveled to Prague to sexually abuse a child and received or tried to receive child sex abuse materials. Holmberg has denied the federal allegations.
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Port: Some Democratic candidates outraise Republican rivals in last reporting period
Hammer is a Marine Corps veteran and a former oil field worker who theoretically could appeal to independent and moderate Republican voters. He may have a real opportunity if his opponent is Becker. Against Fedorchak, a less divisive candidate among Republicans, would be another matter.
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Donald Trump is found guilty in hush money trial : Special Counsel Jerry Goldfeder
Joel Heitkamp is joined by Jerry Goldfeder, current Special Counsel at Cozen O'Connor in New York. He and Joel have a conversation about Donald Trump's guilty verdict in New York on his hush-money trial.
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Jerry currently serves as director of Fordham Law School's Voting Rights and Democracy Project, chairs the New York State Bar Association's Voting Rights and Democracy Task Force, and acts as a special adviser to the American Bar Association's Election Law Committee.
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His extensive practice involves representing various high-profile candidates and elected officials, including mayors, governors, and several candidates for president of the United States. He has also provided legal counsel to members of the U.S. Congress, the New York State Legislature, New York's City Council, judiciary members, unions, not-for-profits, and various groups on local, state, and federal campaign finance law, lobbying compliance, and governmental procedures.
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Port: Auditor Josh Gallion used his official office to make a political endorsement
North Dakota Auditor Josh Gallion recorded an endorsement video for a slate of Republican legislative candidates in Bismarck-area District 30.
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That's explicitly against state law, and the consequences for violating that law are not small, including forfeiture of a nomination to seek office.
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Democratic U.S. House candidate Trygve Hammer: 'We're really making a change'
“The Republicans in their debates have talked about experience, but I have a lived experience that is more like that of most North Dakotans than anybody else in this race,” Hammer said. “Working out on the oil rigs, teaching in a high school classroom at a rural school, being a conductor on the railroad, being a counselor over here at (Quentin N.) Burdick Job Corps – I have been among and been one of those people who don’t have a lot of money.”
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Will Thompson hopes to represent North Dakota House District 46
Will Thompson is seeking to represent Fargo's District 46 in the ND House of Representatives, and is endorsed by the Democratic-NPL. Joel asks him what the first two bills he'd introduce into the legislature if elected, as well as questions about property taxes, the Legacy Fund, and more.
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OLIVIA SCHLOEGEL ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR DISTRICT 12
“Service learning and leadership experiences have shaped my communication, technical, and collaboration skills. I want to apply these skills to represent and bring resources to our community. I’m ready to work toward practical solutions for accessible childcare, affordable housing, comprehensive healthcare, and resilient food systems” says Schloegel.
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Patient advocates plan to continue pushing for insulin price cap
About 100,000 Americans died from diabetes in 2022, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s about the same number of deaths the CDC reported for drug overdoses that same year.
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“So many people have been unable to afford medicine,” said state Sen. Tim Mathern, D-Fargo, the primary sponsor of the bill.
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5 North Dakota schools among those receiving funds for clean school buses, White House says
Low-income, rural and tribal communities — accounting for approximately 45% of the selected projects — are slated to receive roughly 67% of the total funding, per the administration.
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Regan noted how “low-income communities and communities of color have long felt the disproportionate impacts of air pollution leading to severe health outcomes that continue to impact these populations.”
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Letter: Can politics be positive?
I surveyed every candidate in North Dakota that provided an email and is listed on the Secretary of State website . I asked them how likely their work would focus on suicide prevention, food security for youth, and protecting LGBTQ+ individuals. Of 900 candidates with emails, 20 responded so far! Keep in mind these candidates are busy, but of those who reached out, there was a high interest in these issues.
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Letter: Are eight chances finally enough?
Thursday was a sad day for America: on the basis of overwhelming evidence of guilt, a former president, Republican presumptive 2024 nominee Donald Trump, was convicted in New York state court on 34 felony criminal counts for financial crimes involved with his conspiracy to pay hush-money to the porn star with whom he had sex while his wife was pregnant.
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Trump’s conviction also represents a golden opportunity for country-first Republicans to dump Trump. To refuse to vote for him. To replace him on the ticket, and if that fails then to do the hard but necessary task of crafting a principled alternative Republican party.
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Landowners call communication with Summit ‘horrendous’ during CO2 pipeline rehearing
Later in the all-day hearing, Ben Dotzenrod repeated those complaints.
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“The communication has been horrendous, like a lot of people have said,” Dotzenrod said.
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Don't miss these national stories!
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Guilty
Former President Donald J. Trump has become the first American president to be declared a felon. A Manhattan jury found that he had falsified business records to conceal a sex scandal that could have hindered his 2016 campaign for the White House.
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Jonah Bromwich, who has been covering the hush-money trial for The Times, was in the room.
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Biden says Israel has offered road map toward lasting cease-fire in Gaza
“After intensive diplomacy carried out by my team, my many conversations with leaders of Israel, Qatar and Egypt, and other Middle Eastern countries, Israel has offered a comprehensive new proposal. It’s a road map to an enduring cease-fire and the release of all hostages,” Biden said.
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The Path to Defeat Donald Trump (Ep. 1)
Welcome back to The Wilderness. Jon talks about what it will take to rebuild 2020’s anti-Trump coalition with political analyst Ron Brownstein, political scientist Lynn Vavreck, Democratic strategist Addisu Demissie, Democratic strategist Jen Palmieri, and Democratic strategist Simon Rosenberg. They’ll talk about the risks of a second Trump term and how you can help prevent it. It may be a challenging road ahead, but by taking the time to persuade the persuadables in your life it’s possible to finally break Trump’s stranglehold on our politics.
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The Trump Voters Who Are Sick of Trump (Ep. 2)
Jon is joined by longtime pollster Sarah Longwell and former Republican strategist Tim Miller to get inside the minds of two-time Trump voters who are no longer sure if they’ll vote for him again. What’s changed? Well, January 6th, a few criminal trials, and some obviously bogus claims that the election was stolen. But is that enough to get them over the line for Joe Biden? Jon, Tim, and Sarah listen to a focus group tape of these voters to figure out how they’re leaning in 2024 and then Ben Wikler, Chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, joins to help teach you how to persuade the Biden-curious Trump voter in your life.
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Bidenworld Has Its Eyes On November After the Trump Verdict
“Newsflash: It matters that the Republican nominee for President is a convicted criminal. The rule of law still matters. And this won’t be his last conviction. He’s committed multiple crimes and he’s going to be convicted multiple times. He can never be President again,” wrote Sen. Chris Murphy from Connecticut.
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Texas GOP Appears To Put Death Penalty For Abortion Patients On 2024 Wish List
The Republican Party of Texas is considering a platform that appears to endorse the death penalty for abortion providers and patients.
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Texas delegates voted on a 2024 platform at the state’s GOP Convention on Saturday and aim to tally the votes by Wednesday to finalize their platform for the coming year. The proposal called for new legislation to solidify fetal personhood ideology into law, define abortion care as homicide and criminalize in vitro fertilization, first reported by feminist writer Jessica Valenti.
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The Donald Trump I Saw on The Apprentice
“I think Kwame would be a great addition to the organization,” Kepcher says to Trump, who winces while his head bobs around in reaction to what he is hearing and clearly resisting.
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“Why didn’t he just fire her?” Trump asks, referring to Omarosa. It’s a reasonable question. Given that this the first time we’ve ever been in this situation, none of this is something we expected.
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“That’s not his job,” Bienstock says to Trump. “That’s yours.” Trump’s head continues to bob.
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“I don’t think he knew he had the ability to do that,” Kepcher says. Trump winces again.
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“Yeah,” he says to no one in particular, “but, I mean, would America buy a n— winning?”
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Kepcher’s pale skin goes bright red. I turn my gaze toward Trump. He continues to wince. He is serious, and he is adamant about not hiring Jackson.
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Biden reelection campaign enlists January 6 police officers to campaign in key swing states
Some of that messaging has already been tested. In a fundraising email to Biden supporters last week, Gonell described sustaining career-ending injuries and being “trampled in a tunnel” – and noting he would continue fighting for America after being in uniform.
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“That includes doing everything I can to make sure Donald Trump – the man who calls the January 6 insurrectionists who nearly took my life ‘patriots’ and literally salutes them, is never elected president again,” the email read.
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Biden celebrates son on Memorial Day as Trump lashes out at his ‘human scum’ enemies
Identifying his own family with the notion of national sacrifice, Biden highlighted his son Beau, attributing his death from brain cancer nine years ago this week to his exposure to burn pits while serving in the military in Iraq.
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“The hurt is still real, still raw,” Biden said, after describing the “black hole” that opens up for family members who hear the news of the death of a relative serving in wartime.
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“I can still hear him saying, ‘it’s my duty dad, it’s my duty. Duty – that was the code my son lived by … the creed the generation of service members have followed into battle on the grounds around us by fallen heroes.”
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Turning the Tide on Gun Legislation
Welcome back to another inspiring episode of The Hot Dish, where we delve into the pressing issues shaping America's rural and small-town communities. Our hosts, Heidi and Joel Heitkamp, guide us through a compelling conversation with two remarkable guests who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience from their respective fields.
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First, we hear from fourth-generation farmer Harold Wilken, who shares his transformative journey into sustainable organic farming. He discusses the importance of sustainable practices for the future of farming.
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Afterwards, we welcome Alabama State Rep. Phil Ensler, who sheds light on his courageous legislative efforts to ban gun conversion devices. Listen further about the complexities of advocating for gun control, the bipartisan support his bill has garnered, and the crucial role of education in demonstrating the dangers of trigger activators. Rep. Ensler's dedication to public safety and his unwavering commitment to his constituents offer valuable lessons in political courage and the potential for impactful legislation.
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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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