Julie Fedorchak, Cara Mund and Sharlet Mohr also are looking to be North Dakota’s first woman in the U.S. House. Rick Becker, the first Republican to jump into the race, and Alexander Balazs, the state party’s endorsed candidate, also are on the ballot.

Balazs, a political newcomer from Cando, spent five decades serving the nation in the military, first in the Air Force and Navy as a global Survivor Instructor. According to his biography, he has been a senior foreign service officer in the U.S. Department of State and has worked with U.S. Ambassadors in foreign political relations and assisted in development and implementation of sensitive government programs around the world.

Fedorchak was appointed to the North Dakota Public Service Commission in 2012 and has been elected three times. She was born in Williston, grew up in Fargo, graduated from high school in Bismarck and earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. She also spent summers as a child on the family farm near Belden. She served as communication director for former governor Ed Schafer before starting her own communications and marketing business, which she operated for 10 years. She was state director for U.S. Sen. John Hoeven before joining the PSC.

Becker is a plastic surgeon, businessman and former state legislator from Bismarck. He was elected to the North Dakota State House in 2012 and reelected in 2014 and 2018. While in the Legislature he formed the Bastiat Caucus, an unofficial, voluntary association of N.D. legislators often described as an extra-conservative subgroup.

Rick Becker

A law school graduate and community leader, Mund was born and raised in North Dakota. She is an honors graduate from Harvard Law School and Brown University and represented the state as Miss America in 2018. She ran as an independent for Congress against Republican Kelly Armstrong in 2022, garnering 37.57% of the vote.

Mohr ran for the Williston School Board last year but, despite being largely unknown, has not run a high visibility campaign for Congress. She did not respond to requests for information.

Four candidates responded to questions related to representing North Dakota in Washington.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

Mund: I am the only moderate Republican in this race. I am also the only lawyer in this race. Just like how I advocate for my clients, I will advocate for YOU. I have a proven track record of transparency, accountability and calling out unethical behavior. I am not afraid to highlight the fact that my opponent Julie Fedorchak is personally benefiting financially from the proposed CO2 pipeline that is stripping North Dakota landowners of their rights. I am not afraid to say that I am the only candidate who will protect women’s reproductive healthcare and uphold law and order. Unlike my four opponents, I do not think anyone, including a president, is above the law. All four of my opponents want to slash government, including Social Security and Medicare. At the end of the day, my opponents are all the same. I am the only Republican candidate that will protect Social Security, Medicare, veteran’s benefits, your right to privacy, women’s rights and will uphold law and order.

Cara Mund

Fedorchak: Results are what set me apart. I’ve been engaged in North Dakota for 30 years in business and public service. I have a long history of results in the last 12 years as a Public Service Commissioner. We have the lowest utility rates in the nation as a result of my conservative leadership on the commission. We have permitted $15 billion worth of energy infrastructure, serving one of our state’s leading industries, and that’s a result of, again, my conservative leadership. We’ve extended natural gas service to communities in North Dakota that never had it. I am about problem solving. When I see a problem, I want to fix it, and I have a history of proving I can do that. That’s the same approach I want to take to Congress. There’s a lot of big problems in our federal government, whether it’s the border issues, the out-of-control federal budget and spending, inflation and energy policy that is leading our country in the wrong direction. I am ready to take my hallmark problem solving and apply that at the federal level and help solve some of our problems in our nation.

Becker: Candidates are constantly running for office sounding like Jim Jordan and voting like Nancy Pelosi. The difference in this race is that I have a strong track record of leading on conservative issues and not caving to the establishment. In the North Dakota State House, I led and passed Constitutional Carry and Civil Asset Forfeiture reform, just to name a couple. It’s this strong conservative record that has led Sen. Rand Paul, Vivek Ramaswamy, Congressman Matt Gaetz and many in the House Freedom Caucus to endorse my campaign.

Balazs: What distinguishes me from other candidates is my extensive experience spanning 35 years in both military service and foreign diplomacy. It is not just the duration of my service that sets me apart; it is the depth of knowledge and hands-on experience I have acquired throughout my career. I have tackled complex issues such as border security, foreign policy, and military strategy — challenges that directly correlate with the responsibilities of a congressman. I have led teams and spearheaded projects, honing my ability to collaborate effectively and deliver results. Crucially, I possess a deep understanding of the workings of the federal government, knowing what it can, cannot and should not do, particularly in relation to benefiting North Dakota. This readiness means that from day one in Washington, I will be equipped to serve the interests of our state effectively.

How would you as North Dakota’s lone Congress member get things done?

Fedorchak: I would work to ensure that we aren’t just a lone voice because I’m going to build relationships with other members in Congress to support and embrace the same kind of policies that we have in North Dakota. I will seek to leverage our lone voice into more voices through relationship building and coalition building and bringing people on board to our way of approaching problems. We need to apply just common sense policies. Let’s develop our natural resources. Let’s live within our means. Let’s have a balanced budget. Let’s make sure our federal agencies are accountable to somebody and responsive and not creating regulatory burdens that are causing more problems than they’re solving.

Alexander Balazs

Becker: I will work with like-minded members in the House Freedom Caucus and Western Caucus to build coalitions that will get important victories across the finish line. I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again.

Balazs: My approach will be grounded in staunch representation of all North Dakotans. Recognizing the weight of responsibility that comes with representing over 770,000 individuals, I will prioritize our state’s interests, particularly in sectors where we excel, such as agriculture, energy and innovation. My focus will be on leveraging Congress’s constitutional powers to enact meaningful change while upholding principles of budgetary responsibility. This means diligently scrutinizing mandatory budget lines to ensure they are free from waste and inefficiency, standing firm against unnecessary spending, and maintaining clarity in our legislative objectives. Furthermore, I am committed to fostering a spirit of cooperation and collaboration within the chamber. Rather than engaging in divisive infighting, I will work tirelessly to find common ground with my colleagues to advance legislation that benefits North Dakotans and the nation. By staying true to these principles, I am confident in my ability to make a positive impact in Congress on behalf of the people of North Dakota.

Mund: I have already been on the national stage as North Dakota’s first and only Miss America. As a member of Congress, I will not be part of the current infighting among the party. I will represent North Dakota with common sense, transparency, and accountability. Unlike my opponents who have stated that they want to cause chaos in Washington, force government shutdowns, and despite a clear conflict of interest, have no issue personally benefiting themselves while North Dakota landowners are stripped of their rights, I will navigate the current congressional landscape just like I do as a lawyer: a strategic negotiator and a zealous advocate who always puts the needs of North Dakotans first. As someone who is willing to negotiate and work across the aisle, my voice will have a much larger impact than just being one of 435. I’ll work to uphold our conservative values, being seen as a deciding vote and not a puppet doing what she is told. My profession trained me for the job; North Dakotans make me passionate about it.

What would be your approach to military spending?

Becker: We have to rethink the way we fund our military. Far too much of our tax dollars go to fund weaponry for foreign wars while our munitions reserves here at home are depleted and our troops are forced into divisive DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) training. First, I believe we should have a thorough and complete audit of the Pentagon. Second, I want to ensure our troops have the best equipment for military readiness. Finally, we should cancel and defund all woke initiatives forced on our military by the Biden Administration.

Balazs: My approach to military spending emphasizes strategic allocation over indiscriminate funding. While maintaining a strong defense is paramount for national security, unchecked expenditure only burdens future generations without necessarily enhancing our capabilities. I will emphasize targeted investments that prioritize modernization and readiness, ensuring our armed forces are equipped to address current and emerging threats effectively. This includes strategic refits and rebuilding efforts that prioritize combat readiness.

I oppose the allocation of funds towards socialist or woke agendas within our defense budget. Such allocations divert resources away from essential military needs and compromise our strategic and tactical advantages. By removing funding from these areas, we can refocus on bolstering our military capabilities and maintaining our competitive edge on the global stage.

Mund: As North Dakota’s sole Representative, I will always support America’s brave men and women who have proudly served, currently serve, and will serve in our Armed Forces. The cost of freedom is a price that must be paid. America’s 2024 defense budget is $841.4 billion. Defense spending should always undergo a cost-benefit analysis to ensure that the funding spent is done so in the most advantageous way while continuing to ensure that America’s military strength poses a strong deterrent against those who wish our country and our brave servicemen and women harm. My opponents have stated that we need to slash government spending, including national defense. I will also fight to protect veteran’s benefits and healthcare from budget cuts. I am the only candidate who will seek out researched information, public opinion, and will not let a set group of people dictate to me how to vote or what is best for North Dakota. Most importantly, I will always put the brave men and women who serve our country first.

Fedorchak: I’m married to a veteran. He is a son of a veteran. My father was a veteran, and my grandfather was a World War I veteran. I have great appreciation for our veterans. We have to stand by our veterans and make good on the promises we’ve made to them. We also have to embrace our responsibility for our nation’s security and for helping to support our allies across the world. The U.S. is the leader for democracy in the world. So, we have a role to play. People are frustrated with our engagement overseas because it’s been pursued without a clear direction and not enough accountability for the spending. That’s largely a leadership issue in the White House that we need to solve in this election. The solution is electing Trump as president and then the House needs to hold that White House responsible for accountability for the funds that are requested, for having a plan, having an exit plan and having clear objectives for when we’re engaging overseas.

What is your top issue related to Congress?

Balazs: My top issue related to Congress is the timely passage of the budget, as it forms the foundation for addressing critical national priorities. However, this task cannot be viewed in isolation; it is intricately linked to several pressing concerns that demand immediate attention. These include securing our borders to halt illegal immigration and holding the current administration accountable for the crisis they have enabled. Additionally, reducing excessive spending, limiting government overreach, and ensuring national security are paramount. By addressing these intertwined priorities, we can lay the groundwork for a more prosperous and secure future for all Americans.

Mund: I am not a single-issue candidate. If elected, there are six core issues I want to address: (1) Combat inflation by reducing reckless government spending and enacting policies that aid businesses in overcoming the current workforce shortage; (2) Secure our southern and northern border to reduce the amount of crime, fentanyl and other illegal drugs that are coming into our state and local communities; (3) Uphold democracy by seeking the facts, promoting the truth and ensuring that no one, including past and present government officials, is above the law; (4) Serve as a voice for North Dakota farmers and ranchers by passing the Farm Bill; (5) Fight for reduced government regulation and promote North Dakota’s and America’s energy independence; (6) Advocate for limited government and your right to privacy by ensuring that the government cannot dictate what happens in your bedroom or at your doctor’s appointments.

Fedorchak: Energy policy. Right now, the U.S. is committing energy suicide. I see this in my work at the Public Service. Commission. I’ve engaged in national leadership roles because of what I see going on in energy policy. There’s been a push to aggressively decarbonize and aggressively turn to new, renewable resources before those technologies are proven and available at scale, and we have to slow down because we’re putting our country at risk. Beyond serving our own needs, we should be helping our allies across the globe because that would help stabilize the geopolitical issues that we’re facing internationally as well. Energy policy affects everybody in the pocketbooks. It affects our communities, affects our economy, affects our country, our stability in our country, and our national security, and it has a huge impact internationally as well.

Becker: The top issue for every member of Congress should be securing the southern border. We need to reinstate Remain in Mexico, build the wall and deport the illegal aliens who have entered the U.S. In Congress, my position will be simple but firm: secure the southern border or shut down the federal government.