Rep. Nico Rios, R-Williston, observes a House floor session on Feb. 10, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)
BISMARCK (North Dakota Monitor) – District and state Republican Party leaders on Monday condemned a recent antisemitic social media post from Williston Rep. Nico Rios.
The District 23 NDGOP executive committee also adopted a vote of no confidence in the lawmaker’s ability to represent the district and said his post doesn’t align with the district’s views or principles.
In a now-deleted post from Feb. 2, Rios referenced the Jewish heritage of the president of Mexico and questioned if the CIA would help President Donald Trump overthrow her.
“We put out this statement because we felt that it was necessary with the level of what he did,” Corey Johnson, NDGOP chair for District 23, said in an interview.
Johnson said Rios was previously asked to resign by the District 23 NDGOP executive committee after the lawmaker made racist and homophobic comments to police officers during a 2023 drunk driving arrest, but Rios did not resign.
North Dakota Republican Party Chair Sandi Sanford said in a statement Monday that Rios’ post and previous behavior do not align with the party’s expectation of legislative integrity.
“Rep. Rios needs to recognize the seriousness of his actions, end his pattern of unacceptable behavior, and repent of his ugly words and whatever inspired them,” Sanford said.
On Monday, Johnson said the district committee does not plan to start a petition to recall Rios from office.
Rios said he plans to make a formal apology to temper some of the criticism from his remarks.
“Obviously, the district took a bunch of heat and pressure from my stupid remarks, which I shouldn’t have said,” Rios said in an interview. “There was no antisemitic sentiment at all. It was just me being me, and moving forward I need to make sure it doesn’t happen again and watch my mouth.”
Rios said he understands why the board issued a vote of no confidence to separate itself from the comments.
Lawmakers can be removed by an expulsion resolution from a chamber of the Legislature or a recall petition that must include signatures from 25% of the total district vote in the previous governor’s race, said John Bjornson, director of Legislative Council. Based on the 2024 general election, a minimum of 1,173 signatures of District 23 residents would need to be verified to warrant a recall.
“If I wasn’t recalled for my DUI, I don’t see how I could be recalled for this during the session,” Rios said.
Rios said he has no plans to resign his seat and wants to get back to work, pushing three bills he sponsored that are receiving committee hearings this week.
One bill would dismantle the state’s Office of Legal Immigration while another would regulate participation in high school sports and activities. The third, a House resolution, would acknowledge the kingship of Jesus Christ into North Dakota law.
Johnson said a recall petition isn’t something that occurs quickly and any resolution from a petition likely wouldn’t come until after the legislative session. He added Rios’ seat is up for reelection in 2026, before the next legislative session would begin.
Johnson said Rios has demonstrated an unacceptable pattern of conduct and he expects “a massive change in behavior.”
“I am a firm believer in forgiveness and the ability of people to change, grow and develop as a person,” Johnson said. “As it stands today, we as a committee, and I as the chairman, do not have confidence in his ability to represent us, but I would never say that that can’t change from somebody.”
House Majority Leader Rep. Mike Lefor, R-Dickinson, said he felt Rios’ comments were “reprehensible” and the district’s response was appropriate.
Lefor and Speaker of the House Rep. Robin Weisz, R-Hurdsfield, spoke to Rios the day after they learned of the post to lay out what is expected of him as a member of the Legislature, which Rios agreed to, according to Lefor.
Lefor said he plans to closely monitor his situation going forward.
“When you are on social media, you are representing all of us and if you say something that is inappropriate, I will talk to you about that,” Lefor said. “And that’s what was done here.”
Lefor previously removed Rios from serving on the interim Judiciary Committee after Rios berated a Williston police officer. This session, Rios serves on House Agriculture and Human Services committees.
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