Eleven statewide and county commission candidates participate in a candidate forum in Lincoln on May 15, 2026. (Photo by Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)
LINCOLN, N.D. – Republicans and Democrats who are challenging incumbents for statewide office shared a stage Friday night in Lincoln to hear from voters about agriculture, property rights and energy issues.
Nearly 75 people attended the forum with some saying they wanted to have direct interactions with the candidates to better inform who to support during the June 9 primary.
The event, organized by the grassroots conservative group Sons of Liberty, hosted candidates of both parties but no incumbents.
Event organizer Marv Abraham, board member for the Sons of Liberty Bismarck chapter, said no incumbent office-holders accepted the invitation.
The event follows a similar candidate forum held in Edgeley last month, where attendees showed that voters want to hear from all sides about issues they care about and affect their livelihoods, Abraham said.
Debbie Wald of Edgeley said a proposed electric transmission line project passes right through her farm land. She attended the forums in Edgeley and Lincoln because she feels that state officials are not addressing her concerns and she wanted to hear from candidates who will.
Frustrations about data center development was a common theme during the event.
“We not only feel that we are not being heard, but we feel that those data centers, they buy some land and they start some dirt work, and then they feel like they’ve got their foot in the door,” Wald said. “And then they just run right over us.”
She added she recently began identifying as a Republican, but she has supported Democratic candidates in the past.
“Right now, I feel like it’s the person that I’m going to vote for and I’m not even going to consider the party,” Wald said. “And that’s the way it should be.”
Wald said she appreciated the interaction with the candidates at the forum and it will inform her decision on who to support during the primary.
Ryan Braunberger, left, a Dem-NPL secretary of state candidate, Deven Styczynski, center, a Republican Public Service Commission candidate, and Vern Thompson, a Dem-NPL agriculture commissioner candidate, speak before a candidate forum in Lincoln on May 15, 2026. (Photo by Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)
Republicans who participated were U.S. House candidate Alex Balazs, Public Service Commission candidates Chris Olson and Deven Styczynski, and Charles Tuttle, a Republican activist running for the nonpartisan position of superintendent of public instruction. Democrats who participated were U.S. House candidate Trygve Hammer, agriculture commissioner candidate Vern Thompson, secretary of state candidate Ryan Braunberger and PSC candidates John Pederson and Scot Kelsh.
The event also featured two candidates for Mercer County Commission, which has been discussing ordinances related to data centers.
Braunberger, a state senator from Fargo, said in-person, town hall-style events are important because once candidates are elected they represent the residents of an entire district, or state, not only members of a political party that helped put them into office.
Braunberger added the forums are also important because Democratic ideals may be challenged by attendees and that dialog is valuable for policymaking.
Tammy Ibach of Bismarck said she attended the forum because she wanted to be better informed on the candidates running for office.
“I don’t have an issue in my craw this election cycle,” Ibach said. She added she wanted to hear “truth and passion” from the candidates to help inform her decision of who to support.
She said she identifies as a conservative Republican, but was glad Democratic candidates showed up to make their stance on the issues known. Ibach also criticized Republican candidates who didn’t show up to the forum.
Campaign lawn signs sit near the stage of a candidate forum in Lincoln on May 15, 2026. (Photo by Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)
“They should have shown up and it’s shameful that they didn’t,” she said. “It’s all part of the campaign.”
Beverly Kelsch of West Fargo was in town for a weekend graduation party and attended the forum with her husband. She said she had no idea who was running in the primary election this year, which was one of the reasons the couple wanted to attend the event.
Kelsch said she leans Republican during elections, but isn’t opposed to voting for a Democrat.
“If there is a great Democrat running, I would vote for them,” Kelsch said.
A similar candidate forum will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. May 21 at the Casselton Auditorium. The event is sponsored by the Dakota Resource Council and will be moderated by Dustin Gawrylow of the North Dakota Watchdog Network.
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