Merrill Piepkorn | |
---|---|
![]() Piepkorn in 2010 | |
Member of the North Dakota Senate from the 44th district | |
Assumed office December 1, 2016 | |
Preceded by | Tim Flakoll |
Personal details | |
Born | Stanley,North Dakota,U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Connie |
Children | 1 |
Education | Concordia College |
Website | Official website |
Merrill Piepkorn is an American entertainer and politician who has served in the North Dakota Senate from the 44th district since 2016. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Piepkorn is a candidate in the 2024 North Dakota gubernatorial election. He has also hosted radio shows on Prairie Public Radio and served as the public address announcer for the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks.
Piepkorn was born in 1949. [1] He attended Concordia College. While he was enrolled there,he began playing music with Gregg Temple,a fellow student,in 1972. He graduated from Concordia in 1974. After graduating,Piepkorn and Temple co-founded a country band called Skunk Hollow. [2] [3]
Piepkorn worked for Prairie Public Radio,hosting "Morning Edition" while he was a graduate student at North Dakota State University. In 1999,he co-created and began hosting the radio show "Here &Now". [4] Piepkorn became the public address announcer for the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks,a Minor League Baseball team,for the 1997 season. He stayed in the role through the 2006 season. [5] Piepkorn and Temple co-founded a band called the Radio Stars in 2008. [2] [6] He created,hosted,and served as executive producer of "Dakota Air" on Prairie Public Radio,which debuted in 2010. [7]
Piepkorn ran for the North Dakota Senate as a member of the Democratic Party in 2016. He defeated Tim Flakoll,the incumbent state senator,in the November general election. [8] Flakoll sought a rematch in 2020,and Piepkorn won reelection. [9] He won reelection in 2022 with 62% of the vote against Republican Bjorn Altenburg. [10] In November 2022,Piepkorn was elected to serve as assistant minority leader of the state senate. [11]
On April 2,2024,Piepkorn announced that he would run for governor of North Dakota in the 2024 election. [12] He won the party's nomination at their convention in April. He selected Patrick Hart as his running mate for lieutenant governor of North Dakota. [13]
Fargo is a city in and the county seat of Cass County,North Dakota,United States. The population was 125,990 at the 2020 census,and its population was 125,990,and according to 2023 census estimates,the city is estimated to have a population of 133,188,making it the most populous city in the state and the 218th most populous city in the United States. Fargo,along with its twin city of Moorhead,Minnesota,and the adjacent cities of West Fargo,North Dakota and Dilworth,Minnesota,form the core of the Fargo–Moorhead,ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The MSA had a population of 248,591 in 2020.
West Fargo is a city in Cass County,North Dakota,United States. It is,as of the 2020 census,the fifth most populous city in the state of North Dakota with a population of 38,626,and it is one of the state's fastest growing cities. The city is part of the Fargo-Moorhead,ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Prairie Public's radio service is a network of ten radio frequencies in North Dakota. It is a service of Prairie Public Broadcasting based in Fargo.
Newman Outdoor Field is a baseball stadium in Fargo,North Dakota. It is located on the campus of North Dakota State University and is the home of the independent American Association's Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks and the North Dakota State Bison baseball team.
The Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra (FMSO) is a community orchestra based in Fargo,North Dakota serving the Fargo–Moorhead metropolitan area. The orchestra employs local and regional musicians in performances of classical and modern symphonic music.
The 2012 United States Senate election in North Dakota took place on November 6,2012,concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election,other United States Senate elections,United States House of Representatives elections,and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic-NPL Senator Kent Conrad decided to retire instead of running for reelection to a fifth term.
Interstate 94 (I-94) runs east–west for 352.4 miles (567.1 km) through the southern half of the US state of North Dakota,from the Montana state line east to the Red River at Fargo. The route generally follows the route of the Northern Pacific Railway.
The Fargo Marathon is an annual road running marathon in Fargo,North Dakota,first held in 2005. Most years,it begins and ends inside the Fargodome,and the course also travels through Moorhead,Minnesota,Fargo's twin city. The event weekend also hosts a half marathon,10K,and 5K. The race is a USATF-qualified course,so marathon finish times can be used to qualify for the Boston Marathon. The event has been sponsored by Sanford Health.
Drew Howard Wrigley is an American attorney,lawyer,and politician from North Dakota. Wrigley currently serves as the attorney general of North Dakota after being appointed to the position by Governor Doug Burgum following the death of Wayne Stenehjem. Wrigley had previously declared his candidacy for the office in early January 2022. Wrigley was elected to a four-year term in November 2022,garnering 71% of the vote. Wrigley previously served as the United States Attorney for the District of North Dakota from 2001 to 2009 and again from 2019 to 2021,appointed by President George W. Bush and Donald Trump,respectively. Between his terms as United States attorney,Wrigley served as the 37th lieutenant governor of North Dakota from 2010 to 2016.
The 2016 United States Senate election in North Dakota was held November 8,2016,to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of North Dakota,concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election,as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. The primaries were held June 14.
Raymon Everett Holmberg is a former educator,school counselor,and Republican North Dakota senator. Once tied for the longest-serving state legislator in the United States,Holmberg resigned from the senate in 2022 upon investigation into his alleged child sex tourism and receipt of child pornography.
The 2016 North Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 8,2016,to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota,concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election,as well as elections to the United States Senate,elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. This would have been the first time North Dakotans selected a governor under new voter ID requirements,in which a student ID was insufficient identification to vote,but a court ruling in August 2016 struck the down the provision;the election was held under the 2013 rules.
Tim Flakoll is an American politician. He was a member of the North Dakota State Senate from the 44th District of North Fargo,serving from December 1,1998,through November 30,2016. Senator Flakoll served on the Senate Education committee for 18 years including serving as vice-chairman and as chair from 2012 - 2016. Flakoll Chaired the Senate Agriculture committee for ten years from 2002 until 2012. All bills in North Dakota receive hearings and votes on the floor. In the 14 years that Flakoll Chaired the Senate Education or Senate Agriculture committees,those committees never lost a committee recommendation on the Senate floor during a floor vote.
The state of North Dakota has improved in its treatment of lesbian,gay,bisexual and transgender residents in the late 1990s and into the 21st Century,when the LGBT community began to openly establish events,organizations and outlets for fellow LGBT residents and allies,and increase in political and community awareness.
Douglas James Burgum is an American businessman and politician serving since 2016 as the 33rd governor of North Dakota. He is among the wealthiest governors in the United States and has an estimated net worth of $100 million according to Forbes. He is a member of the Republican Party.
The 2018 United States Senate election in North Dakota took place on November 6,2018,to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of North Dakota,concurrently with other elections to the U.S. Senate,as well as other federal,state and local elections in North Dakota.
The 2024 North Dakota gubernatorial election will be held on November 5,2024,to elect the governor of North Dakota,concurrently with the U.S. presidential election,as well as various other federal,state,and local elections. Primary elections took place on June 11,2024.
The 2024 United States House of Representatives election in North Dakota will be held on November 5,2024,to elect a member of the United States House of Representatives to represent the state of North Dakota from its at-large congressional district. The election will coincide with the 2024 U.S. presidential election,as well as other elections to the U.S. House,elections to the United States Senate,and various other state and local elections. The primary elections are scheduled for June 11,2024.
Tammy Miller is an American politician and corporate executive from North Dakota. Assuming office in 2023,she is the 39th lieutenant governor of North Dakota. Miller was appointed by Governor Doug Burgum,following Lieutenant Governor Brent Sanford's resignation.
Steven J. Swiontek is an American politician. He is serving as a member of the North Dakota House of Representatives,representing the 10th district along Hamida Dakane. He is a member of the Republican Party.