FARGO (KFGO) – A crowd of about 200, including several elected and former officials from the state’s Republican party, gathered in the main hall of Drekker Brewing Company Friday afternoon to watch as Representative Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) formally kicked off his campaign for the GOP’s nomination for North Dakota governor.
The 47-year-old Dickinson native took the stage with his wife Kjersti after being introduced by former state Commerce Commissioner Michelle Kommer. He said he had encouraged Governor Doug Burgum to seek a third term and was surprised when Burgum announced Monday that he would not run for the job again. He said decided quickly after consulting with Kjersti that afternoon to forego another term as North Dakota’s at-large member of the U.S. House and run for the state’s top job.
“One of the benefits of getting to do this is I get to wear boots instead of suits,” Armstrong told the crowd, adding that he was also looking to spending more time with his family.
He said the solutions to North Dakota’s biggest challenges are not going to come from Washington, DC.
“North Dakota will always do better when we are in charge of our own destiny – and that’s why it’s time to come home,” Armstrong said. “I’ll take the experience I’ve gained fighting for North Dakota in DC to increase opportunity and success here in our state. And I’m excited to get back here to work with people who are interested in finding solutions and not exploiting problems for political gain.”
Armstrong touted the state’s core sectors like agriculture and energy as critical to the national economy as well as food and national security, but said they have added importance to North Dakotans.
“It’s about our way of life. It’s about celebrating the good times with friends and family and getting through the bad times with those closest to us. And you’re damn right what we do here is significant. What we do in North Dakota matters absolutely everywhere and we do it better than anyone else…that’s why we need the government to get smaller and do better to unleash the talent of the North Dakota people,” Armstrong said.
He said he would advocate for tax relief as governor, including getting rid of the state’s income tax, but he was more cautious about property tax.
“Property taxes have always vexed us. My concern with this is those things still have to get paid for and as somebody who represented a rural district in the state legislature – and this is no offense to our larger communities but our larger communities can bring in advocates and lobbyists and lobby the legislature and when you start talking about school funding and all of that I think we have to be really, really careful if communities like Ray or Mott or Horace are going to have to come every two years and beg for their supper,” Armstrong said.
Armstrong said he had not yet decided on who he would tap to be his running mate as lieutenant governor, nor would he be endorsing a specific candidate for the GOP nomination for his current seat.
“I spent three years as the state party chairman and five years running for Congress. I’ve worked hard to recruit people and help other people get elected, but I think in this instance I’m going to put my oxygen mask on and let everybody else do that work (of choosing a House candidate). We’re going to concentrate all our efforts on serving out our term in the House and running for governor,” he said.
As of Friday, Armstrong is the only declared candidate for N.D. governor.
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