North Dakota Democrats Endorse Record Number of State Legislature Candidates

The Democratic-NPL Party has endorsed 12 candidates for the state legislature, the most since 2016.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Democratic-NPL Party in North Dakota has endorsed a record number of 12 candidates for seats in the state legislature this election cycle, the most since 2016 when the party endorsed 11 candidates. The endorsements come as Republicans currently hold a supermajority in both the state Senate and House of Representatives.

Why it matters

North Dakota's legislature has been dominated by Republicans for years, with the party holding a veto-proof majority. The increase in Democratic-NPL endorsements suggests the party is making a concerted effort to challenge Republican control of the state government and provide more ideological balance in the legislature.

The details

The 12 Democratic-NPL endorsements this year are the most since 2016, when the party endorsed 11 candidates. Republicans currently hold a 42-to-5 advantage in the state Senate and an 83-to-11 advantage in the state House of Representatives. The Democratic-NPL Party has candidates in all but one of the state's regional districts this election cycle.

  • The Democratic-NPL Party endorsed 12 candidates for the state legislature in February 2026.
  • In 2016, the Democratic-NPL Party endorsed 11 candidates for the state legislature.

The players

Democratic-NPL Party

The Democratic-Nonpartisan League (Democratic-NPL) Party is the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party. It is one of the two major political parties in the state.

North Dakota State Legislature

The North Dakota State Legislature is the state legislature of North Dakota. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the North Dakota Senate and the North Dakota House of Representatives.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The candidates endorsed by the Democratic-NPL Party will now compete in the upcoming state legislative elections to try to gain seats and challenge the Republican supermajority in the North Dakota legislature.

The takeaway

The increase in Democratic-NPL endorsements for state legislative seats suggests the party is making a concerted effort to provide more ideological balance in the North Dakota legislature, which has been dominated by Republicans for years.