Winning Fargo commissioner says negative campaign ads against him ‘helped rather than hurt’

Fargo City Commissioner Dave Piepkorn

FARGO (KFGO) – Fargo City Commissioner Dave Piepkorn, who won a fourth term in Tuesday’s election, says he believes a Bismarck-based group that spent thousands of dollars on negative ads about him back-fired and boosted his campaign.

He said people donated money and were voting for him because of the negative ads. He said many were people who normally wouldn’t support him. Piepkorn said the mailers sent to Fargo residents “helped rather than hurt me.”

The mailers sent over several weeks prior to the election targeted Piepkorn’s sometimes rude actions during several city commission meetings.

There were 15 candidates vying for the two positions up for election. Newcomer Denise Kolpack was the top winner with nearly 14% of the vote. Piepkorn was second with 12.5%.