Democrat Katrina Christiansen, left, and Republican U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer participate in a North Dakota U.S. Senate debate Oct. 2, 2024, on Prairie Public. (Rick Gion/Prairie Public)
By: Jeff Beach
FARGO (North Dakota Monitor) – The candidates for the U.S. Senate from North Dakota on Wednesday accused each of reiterating partisan talking points as they debated issues from international unrest to local property taxes.
In a debate on Prairie Public television, Democratic challenger Katrina Christiansen accused incumbent Republican Kevin Cramer of turning his back on North Dakotans with votes against a border security bill, a cap on prescription drug prices and a country of origin labeling for beef producers.
Cramer defended those votes. He said he could not vote for a border security bill that funded sanctuary cities for illegal immigrants. He said an arbitrary cap on prescription drug prices transfers the cost to Medicare. And he said country of origin labeling would violate an international trade agreement and limit marketing opportunities for ranchers.
Cramer also defended international trade tariffs, a key policy point of former President Donald Trump.
“The very idea that we wouldn’t use tariffs on a country that’s dumping on our country, products too cheaply, that’s exactly what tariffs are for, is to defend our industries in the United States of America,” Cramer said.
Christiansen said Cramer did not fight for North Dakota soybean farmers who saw Asian export markets vanish during the Trump administration in retaliation for U.S. tariffs.
Cramer said he sought waivers, some of which were granted, to help mitigate the effect of tariffs on North Dakota farmers.
On energy, Christiansen touted her experience as agricultural engineer and work in the ethanol industry, and called for continuing an all-of the-above energy strategy and making better use of the state’s natural gas.
Cramer called that a “nice, happy talk little speech,” but said that the Democratic administration of President Joe Biden has been limiting energy development.
Christiansen said she would be more effective in finding bipartisan solutions to such issues.
“I’m struggling to understand why North Dakota should continue to send someone (to Washington) who has so much trouble changing rules and improving the opportunity for folks,” Christiansen said.
Cramer began representing North Dakota in the U.S. Senate after ousting Democrat Heidi Heitkamp in the 2018 election. He was elected North Dakota’s representative to the U.S. House in 2012 and served for six years. Before that he served on the North Dakota Public Service Commission.
Christiansen is an associate professor at the University of Jamestown who ran unsuccessfully in 2022 against Republican John Hoeven for his U.S. Senate seat.
On international affairs, Cramer said turmoil is growing in the world because America is seen as weak under the Biden administration, and the U.S. needs to back Ukraine and not put limits on how it can use American weapons as it tries to repel a Russian invasion.
Christiansen called for a cease-fire in Gaza that has been under attack from Israel since a Hamas raid into Israel nearly a year ago.
“Innocent people are dying, the hostages haven’t come home, and what we need is a cease-fire, and then we need to start to peel back that healing process,” she said.
Cramer said, “The only cease-fire that we should accept is a white flag hanging over Tehran,” referring to the capital of Iran, which he said wants to destroy Israel and the United States. But he said Iran can be defeated in part through economic sanctions.
On what moderator Matt Olien admitted was not a federal issue, he asked the candidates their opinion of Measure 4, a proposal to eliminate property taxes based on assessed value.
Cramer said he was undecided but would lean toward voting yes.
“I think you need to do something big to get the change that the people of North Dakota are demanding,” he said.
Christiansen said she fears for the effect that measure would have on schools.
“I don’t think I can vote yes on this, but I can be vocal about the fact that we do need comprehensive property tax reform, because I know so many seniors who live on fixed incomes and are so frustrated with the lack of response in Bismarck to their cries for help,” she said.
BEK TV will host a Senate debate with Cramer and Christiansen at 7 p.m. Oct. 16 from the Legacy High School Auditorium in Bismarck. The debate is free and open to the public but seating is limited.
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