Rep. Jayme Davis First Native American Elected To Leadership Position In North Dakota Legislature

Representative Jayme Davis (D-Rolette) has been elected Caucus Chair of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL House Legislative Caucus, making her the first Native American to hold a caucus leadership position in the North Dakota Legislature. Her term in caucus leadership begins May 1, 2023.

“I am honored and humbled to serve my Democratic-NPL colleagues as their caucus chair,” said Rep. Davis. “During the 2023 legislative session, our caucus led the passage of nearly 40 laws and resolutions impacting the biggest issues facing North Dakota, like making investments in workforce development and childcare. I look forward to building off this success and helping to grow our caucus in the 2024 elections.”

Davis is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band Chippewa Indians. In 2022, she was elected to represent District 9a in the North Dakota House of Representatives. In the 68th Legislative Assembly, Davis served on the Human Services and Political Subdivisions committees. During her first legislative session, she led the passage of a law to codify the protections of the federal Indian Child Welfare Act into state law. She also authored a legislative study to combat racism directed at North Dakota high school athletes.

Davis replaces Representative Gretchen Dobervich (D-Fargo) as Democratic-NPL Caucus Chair. Rep. Dobervich held the position since 2018.

Dobervich remarked, “It truly has been an honor to serve the ND Democratic-NPL House Legislative Caucus. I am very excited Representative Davis has been elected by her peers to serve. She will add not only diversity to the minority caucus leadership team, but years of leadership experience and knowledge.”