2024-01-29 23:42:00
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Last week, former state representative and businessman Rick Becker jumped into the race for U.S. House. He did so hours before Governor Burgum said he would not seek a third term as governor. At that time, incumbent Kelly Armstrong was still in the race.
That next day Kelly Armstrong jumped out of the U.S. House race leaving Becker as the only Republican. However, even that changed as another Republican, Tom Campbell, announced his intention to run for the House.
Rick Becker is no stranger to North Dakota and especially to the Bismarck/Mandan area. He has been a plastic surgeon in the area for years. He is also not a stranger to politics. In 2012, Becker was elected to the state legislature.
“I was in the state legislature for 10 years and made a name for myself as being a very conservative legislator, considered by many to be the most conservative legislator in the state,” said Becker.
He served aside from running for the state legislature three times. Becker also ran for Governor in 2016 at the state party convention and for the U.S. Senate at the convention in 2022. During that 2022 Senate race, Becker changed from a Republican to an Independent. That move caused the NDGOP to create a rule whereby those who run as an independent must wait a number of years before running as a Republican if they hope to receive the party’s endorsement.
“I don’t think it really hurts the campaign. I think it is a mistake, by the way, because this rule, what it does is just prevents the delegates from having another option because if the delegates didn’t want that option, they wouldn’t vote for it. You have a small group of people making that decision for the larger delegation,” said Becker.
Although Becker is not the only Republican in the race now, he also faces Democratic challenger Trygve Hammer, who announced his candidacy for House earlier in January. Hammer says Becker’s candidacy does not worry him.
“The NDGOP right now is not at all worried regarding me; I’m not a blip on the radar of the Democratic party nationally, and as far as I’m concerned, those things are just distractions. If my campaign has any kind of motto, it’s ‘do the work,’” said Hammer.
Becker is running on an extensive platform, but there are two issues that he says are most important to him.
“Deficit spending, and the border, those are easily attainable things, we should attack those without hesitation. Part of the deficit spending combines with other things like stopping these endless wars that cost us so much money,” said Becker.
If Becker wins the House seat and makes it to Capitol Hill, he says he is looking to change some of the Washington juggernaut that is happening amongst Republicans in Congress today.
“What I don’t respect is when Republicans stray from what they say they believe and that’s what the people of North Dakota are tired of, that’s why we saw Donald Trump get in, that’s why people are dissatisfied. They are looking for fighters,” said Becker.
But for now, Becker is focusing on gaining more supporters.
Becker says campaigning for him right now is a lot of communication, which means going out and meeting people, setting up events, doing interviews and making phone calls.
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