“He did awesome before – kept everything going,” said Joan Mattson of Minot. “We still need somebody that is going to do what the people want.”

“He’s the only one with any will to really do anything to change the way it is – the status quo,” said Christ VanWinkle of Minot.

Statewide, 1,933 Republicans turned out for the caucus, with 84% choosing Trump. Results gave Trump all 29 of North Dakota’s delegates The Republican nomination for president will be decided at the national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July.

The reasons for preferring Trump were fairly common among local Republicans who indicated a preference.

Paul and Bonnie Goldschmidt of the Burlington area are pleased to have marked their ballots at the GOP caucus in Minot Municipal Auditorium Monday.

“Border security is super huge,” VanWinkle said in listing issues on people’s minds. “Election integrity because I think almost everybody believes that the last election was completely stolen. Our economy, inflation, energy independence.”

Former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley received 10 votes from Minot caucus voters, while Florida businessman and Air National Guard Maj. David Stuckenberg received two votes. Ryan Binkley, a Texas businessman and pastor, received three votes despite dropping out of the race prior to the caucus but after ballots were printed. There also were two unvoted ballots cast.

Eight candidates qualified for the state ballot initially, including North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. Burgum and most of the others eventually suspended their races, and Burgum endorsed Trump, speaking on his behalf during live, virtual presentations by each of the campaigns.

Although Stuckenberg couldn’t draw votes away from Trump, some caucus voters at least liked what he had to say in his video presentation fed into the 12 caucuses around the state.

“Stuckenberg was impressive,” Gerald Cushing of Minot said. “He hit all the right points.”

Trump supporter Charles Tuttle of Minot sets out a row of Trump flags outside Minot Municipal Auditorium, where voting in the GOP caucus took place Monday, March 4, 2024.

“He comes across as a patriot,” Jeff Case of Minot added.

Former President Trump was expected to win North Dakota, which was one of the highest Trump-voting states in the 2020 election, according to the state GOP.

Sandi Sanford, chairwoman of the state party, applauded North Dakota citizens who came out to participate in the caucus.

“North Dakotans truly believe in our founding principles and the expectation that we, the people, must participate in our government for it to serve them,” Sanford said in a prepared statement. “I’m heartened by the people engaging in the caucus so strongly.”