Late PAC Spend Shows Burgum Trying to Buy Treasurer’s Seat, Repeating Primary
| BISMARCK, ND — Just days before the election, Gov. Doug Burgum sent another $750,000 into his Dakota Leadership PAC as the PAC ups its last-minute attacks on Dem-NPL treasurer candidate Mark Haugen. Burgum largely funded Thomas Beadle’s primary, a tight race against Dan Johnston who was endorsed by President Trump.
Now, Dakota Leadership is running attack ads against Haugen who has developed a wide ideological coalition of voters who value independence, accountability, and transparency. Haugen has earned endorsements from electrical workers, railroad workers, and firefighters, as well as Kris Cramer, a conservative activist and wife to Sen. Kevin Cramer. Haugen also earned the support of the Realtors PAC, a generally right of center organization, even though Beadle is a realtor. The Dem-NPL Communications Director Alex Rohr said: “Without his major patron Doug Burgum, Thomas Beadle never would have won a close primary against the Trump-backed candidate. Beadle knows it, and has already shown he’ll serve at the governor’s pleasure by supporting a vote to delay collection of oil royalties that should be benefitting public schools. Mark will be an independent voice who will represent North Dakotans, something we sorely need as Burgum, who has lost three public health officers during this pandemic, runs everyone who stands up to him out of town.” ### |
