Kelly Armstrong will run for North Dakota governor, giving up state’s sole House seat

Kelly Armstrong will run for North Dakota governor, giving up state’s sole House seat

Rep. Kelly Armstrong won’t seek reelection to North Dakota’s sole House seat and will run to replace Doug Burgum as governor, he announced Tuesday.

“North Dakotans will always do better when we are in charge of our own destiny,” Armstrong (R-N.D.) said in a statement. “That’s why I’ve decided to come home to run for Governor.”

The announcement came mere hours after Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) told POLITICO he would not run for the office. Burgum said he would not seek a third term on Monday.

Armstrong first came to the House in 2019 after previously serving as chair of the North Dakota Republican Party. He voted to certify President Joe Biden’s win in the 2020 election and voted to codify the right to same-sex marriage in 2022.

Jordain Carney contributed to this report.