North Dakota State Representative District 3 Choose 2
The North Dakota State House consists of 94 representatives, who meet in regular legislative sessions to make our state laws and set our state budget. Learn more at ndlegis.gov.
Biographical Information
Endorsements
Independent Community Banks of ND, ND Oil PAC, ND Energy Council, Governor Kelly Armstrong
Website
http://blainefornd.com
Campaign Email
bdeslaur@srt.com
Campaign Phone Number
701-720-2400
What are your top priorities?
Tax Relief - keep taxes low, especially property taxes.
Energy & Infrastructure - advance pro-energy legislation. Invest in infrastructure to deliver affordable and reliable energy statewide.
Pro-Business Climate - preserve ND's competitive advantage through limited government, smart regulation, and economic freedom.
Workforce Development - strengthen partnerships between employers and educators.
Pro-life and Personal Liberty - stand for pro-life principles and protect the Second Amendment.
How would you ensure that North Dakotans’ healthcare costs are affordable?
Healthcare costs have skyrocketed not only in ND but across the US. This isn't an easy fix but change needs to happen. Every part of the system is structured to generate higher prices. In ND we need to continue to proved access to healthcare especially in rural areas and to people with limited income. HHS's partnership with the Rural Health Transformation Program will provide funding opportunities to strengthen rural health care by supporting retention of health care professionals.
How would you address the housing needs of the state?
One idea to stimulate new housing would be to provide municipalities access to low interest loans (through the ND Housing Finance Agency) to fund infrastructure for roads, sewer, and water. New housing costs are high due to materials, labor, and infrastructure costs. If we can assist with the funding cost to finance infrastructure that would allow more new housing to be built at a lower cost.
What is your position on allowing public funds to be directed to non-public education?
Funding K-12 education is a priority and I'm generally not in favor of allowing public funds to be directed to non-public education. I would favor tax credits (limited to a certain amount per student) that would be used to offset private education. A ND tax credit would directly offset ND income tax liability for parents who are paying tuition for private education.
What are your views on the current voting methods and access to voting in North Dakota?
Generally, I believe we offer ample access to voting in ND. I am adamantly opposed to allowing non-citizens voting rights. ND currently protects voter integrity by requiring a valid form of ID to receive a ballot. IDs are then cross checked to insure that only a U.S. citizen is allowed to vote. Absentee ballots and early voting opportunities provide other options to vote vs. in person on election day.
What is the role of the federal government regarding states’ rights, and are there currently any areas where you believe there is an imbalance?
The federal governments role regarding states rights is to exercise enumerated powers such as national defense and interstate commerce among others. I think the federal governments over reaches in regard to energy development, water rights, land, land conservation, and education to name a few. State and local governments are better suited to deal with local issues. They're closer to the people and more responsive to citizens than out of touch federal government.
Biographical Information
Campaign Email
taraghiatt@gmail.com
Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/tghiattd3
Campaign Phone Number
7018335787
What are your top priorities?
Access to childcare, funding of public schools, and AI regulation.
How would you ensure that North Dakotans’ healthcare costs are affordable?
Rural healthcare is dependent on strong workforce pipelines and subsidies that encourage practitioners to come here and to stay here. Access to insurance for every North Dakotan through state-funded plans is the logical next step.
How would you address the housing needs of the state?
Affordable housing developments and stronger renter protections.
What is your position on allowing public funds to be directed to non-public education?
Public funding should stay with public schools. Taxpayer money being diverted to religious and other private schools harms access and quality for the institutions that serve ALL North Dakota children no matter their income or background.
What are your views on the current voting methods and access to voting in North Dakota?
Many of our rural voters do so through the absentee or mail-in voting process. The current push to eliminate to weaken those processes is a direct attack on some of our most vulnerable populations.
What is the role of the federal government regarding states’ rights, and are there currently any areas where you believe there is an imbalance?
This is a nuanced issue that I don't believe has just one solid, black and white answer. Executive Orders that are used by the Federal Government to bypass states' rights rather than a vote in congress have directly affected North Dakota's energy sector and environment. Requirements that force the state to implement or enforce certain regulations or programs do not often come with the funds to match.
Biographical Information
Endorsements
Democratic-NPL
Campaign Email
Mclaughlin4Dist3@gmail.com
What are your top priorities?
Healthcare access for rural North Dakotans
Accountability from insurance companies
Supporting local farms, landowners & trade industries
Providing more opportunities for our families & kids to remain here in North Dakota
Practical solutions over political division
How would you ensure that North Dakotans’ healthcare costs are affordable?
Affordable healthcare starts with accountability. Insurance companies have too much power to deny necessary procedures & refuse payment-leaving many stuck with bills they can't afford or life saving care denied.
I will push for state protections that prohibit insurers from denying those claims. Healthcare decisions belong to doctors & patients-not corporations.
Working in rural EMS for 15yrs, I understand losing our small hospitals is a real crisis we can't ignore. I don't intend too!
How would you address the housing needs of the state?
Supporting first time homebuyers is close to my heart. I received my first home loan through North Dakotas state owned bank, something I'm very proud of. I want to expand down payment assistance programs & work with local banks/ credit unions to make homeownership achievable for more North Dakota families.
I’ll support incentives for developers to build workforce and affordable housing. I also see the need to provide more support to retirement facilities & assissited living facilities.
What is your position on allowing public funds to be directed to non-public education?
Public dollars should fund public education. Diverting taxpayer money to private or religious schools through voucher programs, we weaken the schools that serve every child—regardless of zip code, income, or background.Teachers deserve competitive pay & the resources to do their jobs.Rural schools cannot afford to lose funding to voucher programs that primarily benefit urban & higher-income families. I'm not against parents having say in their choices, but not at the expense of public schools.
What are your views on the current voting methods and access to voting in North Dakota?
North Dakota has one of the largest rural & elderly populations in the country. Making it harder to vote—especially through absentee & mail-in ballots—doesn’t protect our elections. It just punishes the people who have the hardest time getting to a polling place. A farmer in the field, seniors in nursing homes, working parents, not to mention rural voters, they don't need less options. They need more access. I will always fight to protect & expand voting access over fear-mongering about fraud.
What is the role of the federal government regarding states’ rights, and are there currently any areas where you believe there is an imbalance?
It’s a broad question for 500 characters. Our system isn’t perfect—and it gets worse when career politicians and special interest groups manipulate it for personal gain at the expense of everyday people. North Dakotans deserve representatives who actually represent them-not lobbyists, or special interest PAC. Its part of why I'm running, I'm not a career politician. I won't have all the answers, but I know who I'm here to represent. My neighbors & thats what's important to me.
Biographical Information
Endorsements
Independent Community Banks, ND Oil PAC,
Website
http://timfornd.com
Campaign Email
tpmconsultingllc@gmail.com
Campaign Phone Number
701-240-6846
What are your top priorities?
Workforce Development.
Strong K-12 schools and accessible higher education.
Reliable, affordable health care.
Responsible energy development.
How would you ensure that North Dakotans’ healthcare costs are affordable?
Work with health care providers to address their reimbursement rates, transparency and access.
Also focus on prevention, especially in the rural areas.
How would you address the housing needs of the state?
The state should continue programs that enhance the development of affordable housing for work force. Work to make sure barriers that slow development are addressed. Continue public, private, partnerships to work together to provide affordable housing.
What is your position on allowing public funds to be directed to non-public education?
As long as we maintain a strong public school system I respect parents right that chose to send their children to a non-public school.
What are your views on the current voting methods and access to voting in North Dakota?
I support the current voting methods in ND. I believe that we should make it easy for eligible voters to vote while protecting the system from fraud and errors.
What is the role of the federal government regarding states’ rights, and are there currently any areas where you believe there is an imbalance?
I believe that the state’s rights are best served by the state itself. ND is unique in the sense that it has strong influence from various commodities that are best served by the state as well as defense of our country which is best served by the federal government.