North Dakota GOP Chair Says Convention Will Proceed Despite Absences

Matthew Simon vows to protect integrity of process as some elected officials opt out of annual gathering.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 10:49pm

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North Dakota Republican Party Chairman Matthew Simon says the state's GOP convention will move forward as planned next month in Minot, despite some elected officials choosing not to attend. Simon stated that the party will continue its work to ensure informed voters elect officials at both the state and federal level, even with an expected 1,000 delegates set to participate.

Why it matters

The annual North Dakota Republican Party convention is a key event for the state's GOP, bringing together party leadership, elected officials, and grassroots activists. Simon's comments suggest internal divisions within the party, as some officials have opted not to attend the gathering.

The details

Simon said the convention will take place as scheduled on March 28 in Minot, with around 1,000 delegates expected to participate. He vowed that the party will continue working to 'protect the integrity of the convention process' so that voters can make informed decisions about the election of officials at the state and federal level.

  • The NDGOP convention is scheduled for March 28, 2026.
  • Simon made his comments on Wednesday, March 12, 2026.

The players

Matthew Simon

The chairman of the North Dakota Republican Party.

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What they’re saying

“We'll continue to work to protect the integrity of the convention process, so that our elected officials, both here in North Dakota and in Washington, are elected by informed voters.”

— Matthew Simon, North Dakota Republican Party Chairman (am1100theflag.com)

The takeaway

The decision by some North Dakota Republican officials to skip the party's annual convention highlights internal divisions within the state GOP, even as the party leadership vows to move forward with the event and protect its integrity.