North Dakota isn’t the first place that comes to mind in the world of high-profile American politics.  Outside of Governor Doug Burgum’s brief presidential run it is often undiscussed.  That appears to be changing in 2024 with the primary election for the United States House of Representatives.  North Dakota has a single Congressional seat and Julie Fedorchak wants it to be hers.  I decided to take a little time today to dig into the candidates for this race, as the Republican led house majority is so small that every seat matters. 

Julie Fedorchak is a current North Dakota Public Service Commissioner.  She has held that post since 2012, easily winning her reelection campaign in the undoubtably conservative state of North Dakota. 

Until recently little was known about Fedorchak’s policy positions regarding things outside of the state of North Dakota.  During an April interview with radio station WDAY, one thing became immediately clear.  Fedorchak loves the thought of spending money on foreign war.    Regarding the 95 billion dollar foreign aid package recently passed by the House of Representatives, Fedorchak stated “”This is a role that the U.S. needs to take seriously in terms of our leadership abroad. So, I would support this package” . The package Fedorchak was speaking of also contained 60 billion in funding for Ukraine. 

In an April interview with the North Dakota Monitor, Fedorchak stated that “runaway spending and mounting nationwide debt were important reasons why she decided to run for the U.S. House”.  In conflict to her anti spending message, Fedorchak also stated this when asked about foreign aid.   “The U.S. has a leadership role to play, certainly, and the world has become a smaller place, so these foreign issues, they do impact us,” she said. “So, we have to be engaged and engaged effectively.” Fedorchak appears to not have an issue with foreign spending as this is a message she has delivered multiple times. 

It is worth noting that a Democrat has not won a North Dakota statewide election since 2012, so this race will likely be decided in the primary.  Fedorchak hopes to reverse that trend by being the first Democrat elected under the Republican Party banner.  With foreign aid as a top priority, it would appear that should Fedorchak be victorious in the Primary everyone wins with the exception of America. 

Fedorchak’s own website states that “We Need Leaders in Washington Who Can Deliver Results Not Rhetoric”.  However, a deeper look into Fedorchak’s own words reveal that her only mention of results comes in the form on spending money. 

Fedorchak has taken the unusual approach of campaigning on Abortion as a Republican.  Rather than supporting state’s rights as laid out in the 10^th Amendment she has openly advocated for a nationwide ban.  Fedorchak also discussed immigration with the North Dakota Monitor during April’s interview openly blaming Joe Biden for the issue. 

“Since he’s been in office, there have been 8 million people illegally enter our country and those include terrorists,” Fedorchak said. “They include drug traffickers. They include sex traffickers. It’s just endangering Americans and as a border state ourselves, yeah, this is a big concern.”

She then oddly said the President could handle much of the situation administratively through executive action, rather than utilizing the legislative branch of government. 

To address the situation, Fedorchak said the border must be secured and a wall must be built.

“And maybe it isn’t a physical wall in all places,” she said. “Maybe some of it is electronic wall with drones, etc., but we have to have a way to monitor the border and prevent people from just crossing unchecked.”

Fedorchak doesn’t appear to want to limit immigration into the United States, however.  “We can provide a reliable, stable, certain pathway for folks to gain legal citizenship,” Fedorchak said.”

When it comes to politics, it is important to believe nothing that you hear and only half of what you see. Julie Fedorchak has shown America enough to know that she is not America First.