(The Center Square) – U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong defeated Lt. Gov. Tammy Miller in the race to become the next North Dakota governor.
The Associated Press called the race for Armstrong as he had received nearly 70% of the vote less than an hour after the polls closed.
Armstrong, who has served in Congress since 2018, was endorsed by the North Dakota Republican Party and former president Donald Trump.
Gov. Doug Burgum backed Miller, who has served as his lieutenant governor for 17 months. The governor announced in January that he would not seek a third term. Several media outlets have mentioned Burgum as a possible vice-president candidate for Trump.
Armstrong’s lieutenant governor candidate is Michelle Strinden. They will face Democrat Merrill Piepkorn and lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Patrick Hart in November.
Miller ran with Josh Teigen, North Dakota’s secretary of commerce.
North Dakota voters seemed to favor limiting the age for congressional candidates. More than 61% of those who voted on the question agreed that a person would be ineligible to run for statewide office if they are 81 years old on or before Dec. 31 of the year immediately preceding the end of a term as a U.S. senator or representative. North Dakota will be the first state to implement an age requirement on congressional candidates.
The measure wouldn’t apply to a presidential candidate. President Joe Biden, who is seeking reelection for a second term, is currently 81 and will turn 82 on Nov. 20. Trump will turn 78 this week.
