What to Watch in Minot’s 2026 Legislative Races

2026 will be an important election year for the city of Minot. This column will not address the mayoral race because it is supposed to be a nonpartisan race. The jury is out on whether or not nonpartisanship will be fact or fiction. There will be legislative races in Districts 3 and 5. These seats are presently all held by members of the Republican party. In District 3, Representative Hoeverson has been elected to 2 four year terms. If he runs again it will be for a third term. In District 5, Senator Burckhard has been elected to 4 four year terms. If he runs again it will be for a fifth term. In District 5, Representative Louser has been elected to 4 four year terms. If he also runs again it will be for a fifth term. Representative Fischer has been elected to 2 four year terms. If he runs again it will be for a third term.

Service in the North Dakota legislature prior to January 1, 2023 does not count regarding the 8 year term limits now imposed by law. That means Hoeverson, Burckhard, Louser and Fischer may all run for another term either for their same seat or by going to the House from the Senate or to the Senate from the House. That could raise a few interesting questions. Will the voters view the exemption for legislative service prior to January 1, 2023 as a mere loophole which goes against the spirit of the law enacted by self serving existing legislators? Or will they not care?

No Democrats have been elected to the state legislature by Minot voters since 2006. As the Republican party has become all powerful in Minot, it is no secret that there are now deeply divided factions within the Minot Republican party. How the above mentioned legislators fit into these categories will work itself out as 2026 progresses. It is no secret that there is little love between the factions.

Either faction has the capacity to stack a nominating convention. These local nominating conventions have the potential to be quite a show, possibly a freak show. Today the labels of conservative and liberal have been perverted from prior times. Whichever faction best stacks their nominating conventions, don’t be shocked if there are primary challenges by the other faction.

The Republican party took over North Dakota in the 90s when factions within the Democratic party refused to compromise with each other. If the Democrats in Minot have enough sense to nominate and back credible centrist legislative candidates, and the Republicans nominate embarrassing candidates, it might have an opportunity to make a difference in 2026. If not, it would be an opportunity squandered. Political diehards have a tendency to forget there are many Independents who just want a functional government. Hopefully they will be given that choice.