The Fox News Decision Desk projects Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D., will win the North Dakota governor’s race.
Armstrong, who holds North Dakota’s lone congressional seat, defeated Lt. Gov. Tammy Miller for the Republican nomination in the primary in June after winning the party’s endorsement earlier this year. He was challenged in the general election by Democrat Merrill Piepkorn and independent candidate Michael Coachman.
Miller had won the backing of North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who had run for the Republican presidential nomination and had also been reported to be a potential running mate for former President Trump.
REP. ARMSTRONG WINS GOP NOMINATION TO SUCCEED GOV. DOUG BURGUM IN NORTH DAKOTA
Burgum has served two terms and chose not to seek a third term. Armstrong was elected to the House in 2018 after serving in the state Senate. He is an attorney and the former state GOP chairman.
“The short answer is I want to get home and start working — I miss people. I miss my friends. I miss my neighbors. I miss being in North Dakota, I really do,” Armstrong said in an interview with The Associated Press in January.
“Serving the state in Congress has been an absolute — the greatest — privilege of my life, but I really want to come home. I miss my friends in the Legislature. I miss the people who are more interested in solving problems than finding some mediocre social media fame.”
Republican North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum during the GOP’s second debate earlier this year. (Robyn Beck)
Republicans have held the governor’s office since 1992. A Democrat has not won a statewide election in North Dakota since 2012. Some legislative races only had Republican candidates.
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Armstrong will take office in mid-December and won the backing of former President Trump, who praised Armstrong for defending him through “two SHAM impeachments.”
“Kelly Armstrong has my complete and total endorsement to be the next governor of the great state of North Dakota – HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN,” Trump said on social media.