The 43-year-old son of Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) was sentenced to 28 years in prison on Monday for killing Mercer County, North Dakota, Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Martin after ramming into his vehicle during a car chase last December.
In September, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gop-senators-son-involved-in-police-chase-resulting-in-death-of-sheriffs-deputy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ian Cramer</a> pleaded guilty to all of the charges against him, which included homicide while fleeing a peace officer, preventing arrest, reckless endangerment, fleeing an officer, and drug- and driving-related offenses, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/31/us/ian-cramer-sentenced-north-dakota-deputy-killed/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a>. State District Judge Bobbi Weiler handed down Cramer&#8217;s sentence, which was 38 years with 10 years suspended, but the judge said that Cramer would likely only serve &#8220;a small portion&#8221; of the 28 years.
“The (state) Department of Corrections has their own policy on how much time you’re going to serve,” Weiler said. “These are not mandatory minimums, which means that you’re probably going to serve a small portion of that 28 years and be out on parole, so that’ll … give you an opportunity to have a second chance that Deputy Martin does not have, nor does his family have.”
Cramer was taken to the emergency room on December 6, 2023, by his mother, Kris, over concerns about his mental health. After Kris exited the vehicle at the hospital, Cramer slid into the driver&#8217;s seat and took off. He later fled from deputies, sparking a chase.
Spike strips deployed by law enforcement flattened two tires on the SUV Cramer was driving, but he continued to evade law enforcement. Another set of spike strips was deployed to stop Cramer&#8217;s vehicle, but Cramer swerved to avoid them and rammed into Martin&#8217;s patrol car, launching the deputy 100 feet, according to authorities. Martin, 53, was declared dead at a hospital.
Martin served his community with the Mercer County Sheriff&#8217;s Office for 18 years and, just a week before his death, discussed plans to retire. He is <a href="https://www.odmp.org/officer/26849-deputy-sheriff-paul-martin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">survived</a> by his wife, three children, and four grandchildren.
Cramer issued an apology to the deputy&#8217;s family in court on Monday.
“I had no intention to do any of this. It was an accident, and I just hope that someday they can forgive me, and I think the best thing for me is to go to a hospital and just get more help,” Cramer said.
According to Mercer County State’s Attorney Todd Schwarz, Cramer also struggled with drugs and admitted to using methamphetamine and bath salts on the day of the crash. Judge Weiler&#8217;s recommended treatment for Cramer for mental health and drug addiction.
Sen. Cramer said he is &#8220;somewhat disappointed that mental health is so casually dismissed both by the court and by the prosecutor,&#8221; but added, &#8220;I don’t think there’s any question there’s not one person, including Ian, who doesn’t know that they were his choices that led to this, whatever they may be, under whatever condition, choices that go back many years.”

Kevin Cramer

GOP Senator’s Son Sentenced To 28 Years For Killing Deputy In Car Chase

GOP Senator's Son Sentenced To 28 Years In Prison For Killing Deputy In Car Chase

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North Dakota

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Voters in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-dakota" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Dakota</a> will have the chance to get rid of the state’s property taxes in November and become the first state in the nation to repeal the tax, potentially paving the way for others to follow suit.
The ballot measure, called Measure 4, would not only repeal the state’s property tax, but also bar cities and localities from instituting property taxes of their own.
Rick Becker, the chair of an organization called End Unfair Property Tax, which got the measure placed on the North Dakota ballot, <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/north-dakota-voters-could-end-property-taxes-and-pour-gas-on-the-spark-of-a-growing-tax-revolt-f32ae8db">says that success</a> in the Peace Garden state could encourage other states across the country to ditch their own property taxes.
“Once that happens, the light turns on for so many people. As soon as a state steps outside that box, the other states see how possible that is,” Becker contended. “The sky didn’t fall, and maybe we should give it a try.”
Although no states have repealed their property taxes, <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/04/texas-eliminate-property-tax-cost/">Texas</a>, <a href="https://www.ketv.com/article/nebraska-epic-tax-petition-fails-signatures-november-ballot/61497409">Nebraska</a>, and <a href="https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/proposal-ax-property-taxes-fails-make-michigan-ballot-its-not-alone">Michigan</a> have explored the idea, with measures in the latter two states being proposed, but failing to make the ballot.
While Becker calls property taxes “most egregious and least moral of all the taxes,” others are working to oppose the measure to repeal them in the state, calling the ballot initiative a “sledgehammer approach.”
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1729077615157000&amp;usg=AOvVaw17Kprl74oE9DYOLREdiBPU">MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ COMING TO DAILYWIRE+ OCT. 28</a>
“I think we’re going to defeat Measure 4,” said Chad Oban, the chair of an organization called Keep It Local that opposes the ballot measure. “But I do think if it passes, there will be a lot of other states doing something similarly, or feeling like there’s a political appetite.”
Recent <a href="https://northdakotamonitor.com/2024/10/03/most-2024-north-dakota-ballot-measures-appear-too-close-to-call/">polling</a> found that 28 percent of North Dakota voters plan to vote in favor of the measure while 40 percent are opposed to the measure, with another third of voters saying that they are undecided. Voters in the state shot down one 2012 attempt to repeal property taxes, however this year’s measure comes amid growing frustration with property taxes, both Becker and Obad acknowledged.
Municipalities across the United States garnered about $363 billion in property taxes from single family homes last year, <a href="https://www.attomdata.com/hnr/2023-u-s-property-tax-report/">data reveals</a>, marking a nearly seven percent increase from the prior year. North Dakotans had an effective property tax rate of 0.99 percent of their home’s estimated market value, higher than the national average of 0.87 percent.

Suburban homes

North Dakota Could Become First State In The Country To End Property Taxes

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A liberal judge in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-dakota" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Dakota</a> struck down the state’s broad pro-life protections on Thursday, saying that they were unconstitutional and violated a woman’s “fundamental rights.” 
South Central Judicial District Judge Bruce Romanick <a href="https://reproductiverights.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/ND-RRWC-v-Wrigley-SJ.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled</a> that the law banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy violated the state constitution’s guarantees for individuals to make their own medical decisions. Republican Attorney General Drew Wrigley disagreed with the decision, saying the state would appeal. 
“[T]he North Dakota Constitution guarantees each individual, including women, the fundamental right to make medical judgments affecting his or her bodily integrity, health and autonomy, in consultation with a chosen health care provider free from government interference,” Romanick wrote.
The judge, who is not running for re-election this year, said, “Unborn human life, pre-viability, is not a sufficient justification to interfere with a woman’s fundamental rights.”
“Although not stated explicitly, implicit in the right to personal autonomy- liberty- and implicit in the right to happiness, is a woman&#8217;s right and responsibility to decide what her pregnancy demands of her in the context of her life and in the context of her health,” he wrote. “Prior to viability, a woman must retain the ultimate control over her own destiny, her own body, and ultimately the path of her life.” 
Romanick also criticized the North Dakota Constitution for being written by men, who he said “did not view women as equal citizens with equal liberty interests.”
He added that “the sentiments of the past, alone, need not rule the present for all time.” 
In response to the decision, Wrigley said the “opinion inappropriately casts aside the law crafted by the legislative branch of our government and ignores the applicable and controlling case law previously announced by the North Dakota Supreme Court.”
<div><a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a></div>
North Dakota’s abortion law was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-north-dakota-six-week-ban-2bccde2925d30dd4772aaed84f3c2d98" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed</a> by Republican Governor Doug Burgum in April 2023, who said at the time that it “reaffirms North Dakota as a pro-life state.” 
The law largely banned abortions, but allowed them in circumstances of rape or incest before six weeks into a pregnancy. It was passed in response to a ruling from the state Supreme Court that blocked its heartbeat law, saying that the state constitution required exceptions.
In the aftermath of the overturn of Roe v. Wade, leftists have made consistent efforts to challenge state laws governing abortion at the judicial level and by pushing pro-abortion ballot initiatives.

Presidential Candidates Speak At The Florida Freedom Summit

Leftist Judge Rules North Dakota Pro-Life Protections Unconstitutional

Abortion

Courts

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Pro-Life Movement

The following is an edited transcript of a recent interview between Daily Wire&#8217;s Brent Scher and North Dakota governor Doug Burgum. They discuss Governor Burgum’s recent visit to Mar-a-Lago, the Biden administration&#8217;s war on the U.S. energy industry, and his claim that president Biden is using his administration to buy votes.
Brent Scher: We&#8217;re here with North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum. Governor, thanks so much for being with us.
Governor Burgum: Thanks for having me.
Brent: You&#8217;ve been all over the airwaves making the case against Joe Biden. You recently said Biden is using his administration to buy votes. There&#8217;s been a lot of pushback in mainstream media about whether there&#8217;s actually any evidence for this. Can you lay out the case for what you mean here?
Governor Burgum: Well, first of all, this goes back. It&#8217;s not just about forgiving student loans for a demographic that traditionally has been in their camp. Any governor will tell you when there was distribution of COVID funds under President Trump, it was generally distributed on a per capita basis. It was based on the idea that, hey, if we&#8217;ve got this pandemic, it&#8217;s affecting everybody equally. When the Biden administration came in and one of the first big blocks of capital went out, they said, well, we&#8217;re going to go into the places that got hit the hardest. So we&#8217;re going to distribute it to the people who have the highest unemployment and give them more. So, New York got more money than Florida and lots of small blue states got a lot more money than North and South Dakota because we were open and we had low unemployment and other places that had high unemployment, because they had more restrictive policies, got more capital. So, it was apparent right from the beginning that they were going to try to drive dollars back into places that helped elect Joe Biden because the highest unemployment was in blue metros, who also had the most restrictive rules during COVID.
And then along comes higher education loan forgiveness, picking up where Obama left off. We&#8217;re looking at a total now, all in, of over $1.6 trillion of student loan debt in this country. Well, it&#8217;s not student debt per se. It’s a pass-through grant that goes to a student, they turn around and write a tuition check to a university. So it&#8217;s been a form of providing subsidies to the universities, which we know typically vote 95% blue. This was a way to drive dollars, ideologically, towards that end, even when some of those students may not have been well served by college. And then what do we end up with? A pile of student debt. We end up with people who can&#8217;t pay the debt back because they didn&#8217;t get an ROI in their education. We&#8217;re short of people in every trade group in this country. Some of these same people that had student debt could have no debt and be making a hundred grand a year — electrician or a plumber or any kind of advanced construction role — they could be making that kind of money without any involvement from the federal government. So, states ended up pouring more money into higher education but not solving a workforce issue. Student loan forgiveness is so unfair, it cuts at the core of America. And then again, like Obama, and now Biden, they keep trying to do it. They make big announcements about it during election years. And when Biden was campaigning recently in North Carolina, he&#8217;s not talking about the border, he&#8217;s not talking about inflation, he&#8217;s not talking about campus riots, and he&#8217;s not talking about the wars — he&#8217;s talking about getting $3 billion of federal money to a plant in North Carolina. When he shows up, his whole campaign is always centered around making an announcement about the federal largesse. That&#8217;s a long answer, but it&#8217;s a pattern that is pretty consistent. It sure feels like if you&#8217;re shoving money towards places that vote in your direction, it sure feels like vote buying to me.
Brent: Do you think he&#8217;s doing the same thing when he basically emptied our Strategic Petroleum Reserves to temporarily stabilize rising gas prices?
Governor Burgum: Absolutely, positively, totally correct Brent. Because it is called the “Strategic” Petroleum Reserve for our country. Strategic means at a time when we might be facing World War III — which, of course, we&#8217;re inching closer to with Biden&#8217;s appeasement, his weakness, as opposed to Trump&#8217;s strength. His weakness is what&#8217;s making things worse. It&#8217;s just amazing to me that he was never called out on this. He drained it in half ahead of the midterms to try to get prices down at the pump because he knew that would help them make the argument that their economy was better. So, he was simultaneously attacking U.S. energy production, but then making up the difference by draining the petroleum reserve. And, of course, who benefits when you attack U.S. energy? Well, Russia, Iran, and the countries we are in wars with, they benefit. Their coffers are going up by hundreds of billions of dollars and who are they selling their oil to? China, the world&#8217;s largest importer of oil and gas. 10 million barrels of oil a day go into China. Do you know who&#8217;s filling up their petroleum reserves with discount Russian oil and gas? China. So while ours was draining, China&#8217;s was growing. And so strategically, that decision put us on bad footing. And I have said, it&#8217;s not called the “Political Petroleum Reserve.” It&#8217;s called strategic, and there&#8217;s nothing strategic about trying to artificially lower prices ahead of an election cycle.
Brent: This is interesting to me because you&#8217;re the governor of a state that&#8217;s smack dab in the middle of the country. You sound pretty well rounded on China, Iran, and what&#8217;s going on globally. Where does your interest or expertise in foreign policy come from? 
Governor Burgum: Well, it starts with North Dakota&#8217;s economy. We are an agricultural economy and an energy economy. Those are our two major drivers. If you talk to a 65-year-old farmer in North Dakota, he could tell you the price of soybeans in Brazil. Everyone raising crops here is competing against global markets. I grew up understanding the price of things that were important in North Dakota. You grow up understanding that all of these global events affect people right at home and hit them in their pocketbook. My dad passed away when I was a freshman in high school. He was a World War II Navy vet. Some years later, when I was in my mid-20s, I saw a computer and I thought, That&#8217;s going to change the world. I had 160 acres of farm ground at the time that I had received from my dad. Now, that&#8217;s not enough to farm, you need like a thousand acres to do a dryland wheat farm in North Dakota. So I mortgaged the farmland and that became the seed capital for a software company called Grain Plain Software. We started with 10 kids, but we built it into a company where we had customers around the world. By the time I left that place, we had customers in 132 countries and I understood at a very young age that there are people around the world using our products. They don&#8217;t have the right to vote. They don&#8217;t have the right to free speech. They don&#8217;t have the right to assemble. They certainly don&#8217;t have the right to bear arms. 
In 1989, I was coming back from Australia where we were trying to open up our first non-North American operations and I stopped in China. They said, “Hey, they&#8217;re selling software in a street market.” So, I went down there and we had not even begun selling software outside of North America. And I said, “Hey, do you have Great Plains?” And they said, “Sure.” The guy walks over and for a buck they hand you a 5 ¼ inch floppy disk. They were selling modules of our software. So, I&#8217;ve known for about 30 years that China&#8217;s been stealing every piece of software I&#8217;ve ever been involved with. When you grow up exposed to these things, with global business experience, managing people globally — I had people doing acquisitions around the world — you start to understand, uh, how, how the world works economically. 
Energy is at the core of all of our national security concerns, it&#8217;s at the core of all the wars we&#8217;re fighting right now. Iran is funding the Houthis, Hamas, and they&#8217;re funding them with oil sales. President Trump had those guys on their knees, financially, and now Joe Biden with his appeasement, they&#8217;re back and as rich as they&#8217;ve ever been. And Putin personally makes money off of all the oil sales. Russia operates more like the mafia than a country. And he&#8217;s the mob boss who gets a cut of almost everything. He could arguably be the richest guy in the world. So Joe Biden&#8217;s energy policies are hurting the U S and are helping our adversaries. Consequently, we&#8217;ve got to fund wars against them while the other side of the war is being funded by folks who have huge, huge oil exports. Ultimately, the reason they have huge oil exports is because Joe Biden is trying to choke down the U.S. energy industry. So, it drives me a little bit crazy that these economic policies of Joe Biden are what&#8217;s destabilizing the world. That&#8217;s why we need President Trump back in the White House.
Brent: Transitioning to Trump, you were recently seen at this high profile Mar-a-Lago event. There&#8217;s been a lot of reporting on what was said. I&#8217;m told the president gave an almost comically long and very colorful speech about Biden and current affairs. For somebody in the room, what was it like being in there? What was the energy among Trump supporters for that event?
Governor Burgum: Well, the energy was super high and it was very fun. In spite of how it might&#8217;ve been reported to mainstream media, there was a lot of laughter, a lot of, good humor. People in the room were excited, enthusiastic. There was the Rasmussen poll that came out the day before that showed Trump leading in all these swing states. The folks who were there were donors, all entrepreneurs and job creators. These are people who have created businesses and they&#8217;ve given back to their communities and they&#8217;ve got kids and grandkids and they care about the future of this country. The energy level was very high and, and President Trump — if people have ever heard him in that environment, the guy is very funny. He&#8217;s probably one of the only politicians we&#8217;ve ever had in this country who could actually probably work as a standup comic if he wanted to as a side job. But of course he&#8217;s also produced hit TV shows. The guy knows how to entertain an audience. And he certainly has his finger on the pulse on the concerns of the American people right now, which is people are worried about the border. In 2016, it was about immigration. Today it&#8217;s about national security and public safety. He understands that people are getting crushed by Joe Biden&#8217;s inflation, and he understands that people want these wars to end. Peace and prosperity were thriving when he was in office. And those people there remember that and they&#8217;re ready to go to battle to make sure that we can get back to that. So it was a great afternoon.
Brent: What about what it feels like being on that stage? I mean, there was a lot of attention on that picture because it included a lot of people who are reportedly in contention for Trump&#8217;s coveted VP slot. Does it feel like you&#8217;re in an episode of “The Apprentice” sometimes?
Governor Burgum: I&#8217;m smiling as you&#8217;re saying that because the last episode of “The Apprentice” that Trump was on was in December of 2015, right before he announced. I think it was one of the most-watched shows of that year. So, he knows how to entertain. He certainly was entertaining that Saturday afternoon. In his speech he thought there were 50 people on the short list. So I have to reject the premise of any “short list.” I didn&#8217;t run for president because I was looking for a cabinet job or a VP job. I was doing it because I cared about the country. And the topics I cared about the most — economy, energy, national security — are the three things that I aligned almost exactly with president Trump. So it was very easy to jump in and support him like I did in 2016 and in 2020 and I’m having a good time supporting him now, because this is so important to our country.It was a high energy, very fun event.
Brent: Last question.What do you think the key is to taking Biden down in November? What&#8217;s the case that really needs to be made?
Governor Burgum: Well, I&#8217;m not a pundit, but I am a governor and I&#8217;m a citizen. I think it goes back to that classic question: Were you better off under president Trump than you are under, under Joe Biden? And I think most Americans are going to say, we were better off [under Trump]. The border was secure. Biden inflation came like a thief in the night and stole 30% of Americans’ savings. The majority of Americans now have no savings, they&#8217;re living paycheck to paycheck. And those folks are having a hard time putting food on the table and gas in their car. Something else that&#8217;s going to hit everybody more by next fall is the price of electricity. Joe Biden&#8217;s assault on energy just isn&#8217;t on liquid fuels, it&#8217;s on gas, It&#8217;s assault on electricity in the grid itself. So those are those economic issues. Trump is so far ahead in some polls, he&#8217;s +20 on the economy, he&#8217;s +20 on inflation, he&#8217;s +20 on the border, and he is he going to be strong against these dictators overseas — the Iranians, the Russians, and the Chinese. So he wins on all that. It&#8217;s going to come down to whether or not the message can be delivered out to the swing voters in those swing counties, that&#8217;s what&#8217;s going to really matter in the end. If the message is out there, President Trump could win and could win big. But there are a lot of folks in the mainstream media and others who are pushing an alternative vision of the world, which, of course, I don&#8217;t think the facts support, but that&#8217;s going to be the challenge. So the Trump team and everybody supporting Trump is going to have to make sure they vote, they&#8217;re going to have to run through the tape. This is going to be a battle right to the end.
Brent: All right. Well, thank you so much for being with us, Governor Burgum. We appreciate it
Governor Burgum: Thank you, Brent.

Donald Trump Holds Campaign Rally At The Jersey Shore

Governor Doug Burgum On Democrats Buying Votes And The War On U.S. Energy

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A federal judge in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-dakota" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Dakota</a> ruled on Monday that the Biden administration cannot compel Christian employers and health care providers to pay for transgender surgeries and other procedures.
Judge Daniel Traynor for the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/christian-employers-do-not-have-cover-gender-transition-judge-rules-2024-03-04/">ruled</a> in favor of the Christian Employers Alliance, which had challenged the Biden administration’s interpretation of federal discrimination law. Traynor, a Trump nominee, <a href="https://adfmedia.org/case/christian-employers-alliance-v-us-equal-employment-opportunity-commission">said</a> that the Christian groups were protected under religious liberty protections from being forced to provide “gender transition services.” 
The judge ruled against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Department of Health and Human Services interpretation of discrimination law, which would mandate that every employer covers transgender surgeries. Traynor said that the Christian Employers Alliance&#8217;s “religious beliefs are substantially burdened by the monetary penalties it faces for refusing to violate its beliefs.”
“Here, CEA’s sincerely held religious belief is that male and female are immutable realities defined by biological sex and that gender reassignment is contrary to Christian Values,” Traynor <a href="https://adfmedialegalfiles.blob.core.windows.net/files/ChristianEmployersAllianceOrderSummaryJudgment.pdf">wrote</a>. “As a result, performing or providing health care coverage for gender transition services under the EEOC and HHS coverage mandates impinges upon CEA’s beliefs. CEA must either comply with the EEOC and HHS mandates by violating their sincerely held religious beliefs or else face harsh consequences like paying fines and facing civil liability.”
The Christian Employers Alliance first filed the lawsuit in October 2021 and took issue with the Equal Employment Opportunity commission&#8217;s interpretation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act that employers needed to cover transgender surgeries. It also challenged the Health and Human Services&#8217; interpretation of sex to include gender identity for discrimination purposes. 
The decision was celebrated by the Christian Employers Alliance and the Alliance Defending Freedom, which represented the group. 
“We are overjoyed our members will not have to choose between the biblically based employee benefits and quality healthcare they provide, and the threat of federal enforcement and massive costs for practicing their faith,” Christian Employers Alliance President Shannon Royce said. 
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ADF Senior Counsel and Director of Regulatory Practice Matt Bowman praised the court for blocking the Biden administration’s mandates. 
“All employers and healthcare providers, including those in the Christian Employers Alliance, have the constitutionally protected freedom to conduct their business and render treatment in a manner consistent with their deeply held religious beliefs,” Bowman said. “The employers we represent believe that God purposefully created humans as either male or female, and so it would violate their religious beliefs to pay for or perform life-altering medical procedures or surgeries that seek to change one’s sex.”

A surgical light in an operating room in hospital.

Federal Judge Rules That Christian Employers Do Not Have To Pay For Transgender Surgeries

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF)

Biden Administration

Department of Health and Human Services

Religious Liberty

transgender surgery

Former President Donald Trump dominated the North Dakota Republican Caucus on Monday as he continues to inch closer to officially securing the party&#8217;s presidential nomination.
The Associated Press called the race with roughly 38% of the votes counted as Trump led former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley 84.4% to 14.6%.
Candidates are eligible to win delegates if they finish with at least 20% of the vote. However, if a candidate wins at least 60% of the vote then that candidate collects all of the state&#8217;s 29 delegates.
The win, assuming Trump stays over 60%, will put the former president at 273 delegates while Haley lags far behind with only 43 delegates. Haley secured her first and only win of the GOP nomination process over the weekend when she won Washington, D.C.
Trump on the other hand has had blowout victories in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada, Wyoming, Idaho, Michigan, and Missouri.
The former president is heavily favored in the Super Tuesday states that vote tomorrow, which include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia.
Assuming that things continue to go his way, the earliest Trump could wrap up the primary is on March 12 when Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, and Washington hold their contests.
This is a breaking news story; refresh the page for updates.

Former President Donald Trump Speaks At Mar-a-Lago In Florida

Trump Wins North Dakota Caucus In Dominant Fashion

2024 Primaries

Nikki Haley

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-dakota" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Dakota</a> Republican Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/doug-burgum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Doug Burgum</a> said on Monday that he will not seek a third term leading the Peace Garden State this year.
The announcement followed Burgum <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doug-burgum-suspends-2024-presidential-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ending his long-shot campaign</a> in the 2024 presidential race last month and a little more than a week after he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-gets-endorsement-from-burgum-former-2024-rival-on-eve-of-iowa-caucuses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">endorsed</a> former President Donald Trump ahead of the Iowa caucuses.
&#8220;Serving as governor and first lady of the great state of North Dakota has been one of the most incredible and rewarding experiences of our lives,&#8221; Burgum said in a <a href="https://www.governor.nd.gov/news/burgum-announces-he-wont-seek-third-term-highlights-progress-made-during-time-governor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. &#8220;Kathryn and I are eternally grateful to the citizens of North Dakota for twice giving us this opportunity to serve the state we love so much.&#8221;
North Dakota voters elected Burgum, a wealthy former software executive, to serve as their 33rd governor in November 2016. He won another four-year term in November 2020.
In his statement, Burgum touted &#8220;incredible progress&#8221; during his seven-year tenure, including on issues such as taxes, the economy, education, state-tribal relations, agriculture, energy, and fighting addiction.
&#8220;There’s never been a better time to live, work and raise a family in North Dakota. Our state is extremely well-positioned for the future thanks to the efforts of everyone on Team ND to empower people, improve lives and inspire success,&#8221; Burgum said.
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A term limits measure passed in 2022 barred any individual from being elected governor more than twice — though <a href="https://www.kfyrtv.com/2022/11/09/measure-1-projected-pass-term-limits-will-go-into-effect-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the measure noted</a> that service before its effective date would not count toward the limit.
Prognosticators who <a href="https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/2024-governor/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">assessed</a> the 2024 governor&#8217;s race last year <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/governor-race-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">determined</a> the GOP was favored to win. At least one person, former Republican state Sen. Tom Campbell, has <a href="https://www.wdayradionow.com/news/regional-news/72233-former-state-senator-tom-campbell-to-run-for-governor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> he will run for the office.
Burgum&#8217;s current term is set to end on December 14. It was not immediately clear what he would do next, but one person had already floated a possibility.
&#8220;He&#8217;s one of the best governors in our country,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-teases-ex-rival-doug-burgum-hold-important-administration-role-iowa-win" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said at an event last week</a>, appearing with Burgum after Burgum endorsed the former president. &#8220;And I hope that I&#8217;m going to be able to call on him to be a piece of the administration, a very important piece of the administration.&#8221;

Doug Burgum Announces He Will Not Seek 3rd Term As North Dakota Governor

Elections

The son of Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) was charged on Thursday in connection to a crash that killed a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-dakota" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Dakota</a> sheriff&#8217;s deputy this week.
Police received a report of a stolen SUV that was being driven on Wednesday night by 42-year-old Ian Cramer and, when law enforcement approached him, he drove off.
Ian Cramer was charged with felony counts of manslaughter, fleeing a police officer, and reckless endangerment. He also was charged with a misdemeanor count of driving with a suspended license.
Ian Cramer&#8217;s mother took him to the hospital on Wednesday night over concerns about his mental health. When she got out of the car, Ian jumped in the driver&#8217;s seat and took off.
Law enforcement officials spotted the vehicle over an hour later and the situation quickly turned into a high-speed chase with Ian Cramer reaching speeds of over 100 mph.
Deputy Paul Martin took cover behind his patrol car after setting up a tire deflation device on the road. When Ian Cramer saw the device, he swerved and hit the patrol car, thus ramming “directly into Martin’s person and launching him for about 100 feet,” court documents said.
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https://twitter.com/NDHighwayPatrol/status/1732810237202067477
Sen. Cramer addressed the incident in a statement, saying that his son &#8220;suffers from serious mental disorders which manifest in severe paranoia and hallucinations.&#8221;
&#8220;Kris was with Ian when he insisted on going to his brother Ike. Ike died in 2018,&#8221; said Cramer. &#8220;Kris took Ian to the Sanford Health emergency room in Bismarck. When she got out of our vehicle, Ian jumped into the driver’s seat and fled. Our daughter was able to track the car through Kris’ cell phone and lead officers to him in Mercer County, ND.&#8221;
He said that he was focused on getting back to the state so that he could be with his family.
&#8220;We grieve especially for the family of the hero who tried to help Ian, and we pray for our gracious God to show up as He always does in tragedy,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We ask the public for prayers for the lost officer’s family and colleagues who serve us every day and are grateful for all they do for us. We also ask God for healing for Ian. We love him and hurt deeply.&#8221;

Sen. Kevin Cramer

Senator Kevin Cramer’s Son Charged With Manslaughter Over Killing Of Sheriff’s Deputy

Senator Kevin Cramer's Son Charged With Manslaughter Over Killing Of Sheriff’s Deputy

Crime

Mental Health

U.S. Senate

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) said his 42-year-old son was involved in a police chase on Wednesday that came to a tragic end, resulting in the death of a sheriff’s deputy.
A Mercer County, North Dakota, Sheriff’s deputy was killed as police engaged in a pursuit of Ian Cramer after the senator’s son reportedly took off with his mother’s car. Ian — who “suffers from severe mental disorders which manifest in severe paranoia and hallucinations,” according to the senator — was taken to the emergency room by Cramer’s wife, Kris, after he told her he wanted to go see his brother who died five years ago. When Kris got out of the car at the hospital, Ian jumped into the driver’s seat and sped off, the senator said in a statement, KFYR <a href="https://www.kfyrtv.com/2023/12/07/mercer-county-sheriffs-deputy-dies-during-pursuit/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. 
“Our daughter was able to track the car through Kris’ cell phone and lead officers to him in Mercer County, ND,” Cramer said in a statement. “We don’t have more details right now but will work with authorities to properly inform the public.” 
The Mercer County Sheriff’s Department initially located Ian and the stolen SUV in Hazen, North Dakota, where officers approached him, but the 42-year-old fled, according to authorities. As police pursued him, a Mercer County Sheriff’s deputy stood alongside the road next to a parked patrol car, preparing to deploy a spike strip to deflate the tires of the vehicle Ian was driving. The SUV, however, veered off the road and rammed into the parked patrol car head-on. The crash pushed the patrol car back into the deputy standing on the side of the road, killing him, KFYR reported.  
Ian was rushed to the hospital following the crash before being taken to the Mercer County Jail. No charges have been filed yet as the North Dakota Highway Patrol investigates the incident. Sen. Cramer said he and his family are grieving for their son and the deputy’s family and asked the public for their prayers. 
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“I will take the first flight I can to be with our family as we grieve what has happened,” Cramer added. “We grieve especially for the family of the hero who tried to help Ian, and we pray for our gracious God to show up as He always does in tragedy. We ask the public for prayers for the lost officer’s family and colleagues who serve us every day and are grateful for all they do for us. We also ask God for healing for Ian. We love him and hurt deeply.”

GOP Senator’s Son Involved In Police Chase Resulting In Death Of Sheriff’s Deputy

Car Crash

Police

A judge in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-dakota" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Dakota</a> has denied a request to block the state’s law that protects children from undergoing life-altering transgender procedures.
On Monday, Burleigh County Judge Jackson Lofgren <a href="https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/north-dakota/north-dakota-judge-denies-temporary-halt-to-transgender-health-care-ban-for-children" target="_blank" rel="noopener">denied</a> a petition from several parents who claim their children identify as transgender to place a temporary restraining order on a North Dakota law banning transgender procedures on children.
“The plaintiffs argue the challenged statutes are subject to strict scrutiny,” Lofgren wrote. “However, this heightened scrutiny hinges upon inclusion in a protected class not previously recognized by the North Dakota Supreme Court or a new application of state constitutional principles.”
Lofgren said the challenged did not present evidence “beyond a reasonable doubt” that the law violated the Constitution.
Robert and Devon Dolney, among other parents, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/judge-denies-initial-request-temporarily-block-north-dakotas-ban-kids-rcna125136" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sued</a> state Attorney General Drew Wrigley in September over <a href="https://www.ndlegis.gov/assembly/68-2023/regular/documents/23-0869-01000.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House Bill 1254</a>, which bans things like surgeries on children such as double mastectomies on girls who identify as boys and other genital procedures. It also prohibits children from being put on cross-sex hormones or puberty blockers, things that can have long-term impacts on fertility, bone development, and other serious developmental side effects. 
“We’re disappointed in this ruling, but we are confident that when all the evidence has been presented, the court will ultimately find that ending the health care ban permanently is the only just, equitable, and constitutional resolution,” said lawyer Brittany Stewart of Gender Justice, who is representing the parents.
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Lofgren, who was appointed by Burgum, is set to hear more arguments on the suit in January.
“You know one of the main arguments against this bill was that you know, the surgeries aren’t happening here in North Dakota, why are you doing this so early? It’s because, if you just look over the border, in places like Minnesota, it’s happening frequently, it’s happening in states around this country, so we’re taking an approach that we need to start today so that this doesn’t get out of control,” state Rep. Brandon Prichard, one of the bill’s sponsors, <a href="https://www.kxnet.com/news/state-news/governor-burgum-signs-transgender-medical-ban-bill/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> at the time. 
The law was signed in April by Governor Doug Burgum, a 2024 presidential candidate. 
North Dakota is one of the more than 20 states that have passed bills protecting children from transgender procedures. Left-wing legal groups have sought to challenge the laws with various degrees of success. The ACLU, which lost a challenge to Tennessee’s law before the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/aclu-asks-supreme-court-to-strike-down-tennessee-law-protecting-kids-from-transgender-procedures" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has petitioned</a> the Supreme Court to weigh in on the case.

Surgeon picking up surgical tool from tray

Judge Keeps North Dakota Law Shielding Kids From Transgender Procedures In Place

LGBT

Social Issues

Transgender

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-air-force" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Air Force</a> has requested that Congress pass legislation to stop wind turbines from encroaching on nuclear missile sites throughout the U.S.
According to the Air Force, underground nuclear missile sites in Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Colorado need to be shielded from the growing wind turbine industry for safety and security concerns. The Air Force <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/air-force-asks-congress-protect-nuclear-launch-sites-104685988" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> that 46 of the 450 underground nuclear missile sites have been “severely” encroached upon. Some wind turbines can stand 650 feet tall and present a barrier for helicopters carrying technicians or others who need to access the sites.
“When you think about a wind turbine, and even fields of wind turbines, they’ll stretch for miles,” Staff Sgt. Chase Rose, a UH-1 Huey flight engineer at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, told the Associated Press. “They’re monstrous, and then you have gigantic blades spinning on them as well. Not only is that a physical obstacle, but those turbines, they create the hazards like turbulence as well. That can be really dangerous for us to fly into. So it’s a very complex situation, when you have to deal with those.”
The Air Force is advocating for legislation that would mandate a 2-nautical-mile buffer zone around the hundreds of underground missile launch sites throughout the U.S. The Air Force and the American Clean Power Association drafted the legislation.
“The wind industry recognizes the nuclear missile silo mission is unique,&#8221; said American Clean Power Association spokesman Jason Ryan. “However, one-size-fits-all setbacks do not make sense for other [Department of Defense] missions or assets as site-specific and mission-specific evaluations are necessary to ensure military readiness.”
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Air Force Maj. Victoria Hight, a spokeswoman for F.E. Warren Air Force Base, said the wind turbines can hamper “safe helicopter transit and nuclear security operations” but that the Air Force supports &#8220;renewable energy efforts to include wind turbines, and we continue to work with energy industry partners to ensure the country’s green energy needs are met.” 

The Biden administration has <a href="https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/biden-harris-administration-advances-15-onshore-clean-energy-projects-potential-power" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aggressively pushed</a> a “transition” to green energy, including announcing the development of onshore renewable energy projects across the West.
“Investing in clean and reliable renewable energy represents the [Bureau of Land Management&#8217;s] commitment to addressing climate change and supports direction from the President and Congress to permit 25 gigawatts of solar, wind and geothermal production on public lands no later than 2025,” the Bureau of Land Management said on Monday when announcing plans for 15 major projects throughout the West.

Sustainable power is the future

Air Force Requests Congressional Intervention Over Wind Turbines Near Nuclear Missile Sites

Arkansas

Montana

Nebraska

U.S. Air Force

Wyoming

A North Dakota woman has been arrested and charged with murder after she allegedly killed her boyfriend with antifreeze.
Ina Thea Kenoyer, 47, was arrested earlier this week and charged with Class AA Felony Murder in the poisoning death of Steven Edward Riley Jr., 51, of Minot, North Dakota, the Minot Police Department said in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/minotpd/posts/633986248904565" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a statement</a>. Riley died on September 5 at a Bismarck hospital, and an autopsy revealed his cause of death was poisoning.
“This case was extremely complex,” Investigations Commander Capt. Dale Plessas said in the statement. “Thank you to everyone who provided us with information that helped our investigators piece this together.”
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/31/us/north-dakota-poisoning-murder.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Riley was poisoned by ethylene glycol, the main ingredient in antifreeze. In an affidavit obtained by the outlet, Riley’s loved ones reportedly said Kenoyer had made comments about poisoning him with antifreeze prior to and after his death.
The couple had been together for 10 years, but Riley was reportedly preparing to leave Kenoyer after he received an inheritance of about $30 million.
On September 3, Riley was about to claim his inheritance when he began to feel ill, People Magazine <a href="https://people.com/nd-woman-accused-poisoning-boyfriend-antifreeze-hours-after-inherited-30-million-8385706" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. On September 4, emergency workers were called to the couple’s home, and Riley was found unresponsive, the Times reported. He was taken to an emergency room before being transferred to the hospital in Bismarck, where he died the following day.
One of Kenoyer’s friends also told police she saw Kenoyer dispose of Riley’s things outside their home on the day he started feeling sick. This same friend said that Kenoyer was upset because she knew Riley was going to leave her after getting his inheritance.
Kenoyer allegedly told police that Riley had a heat stroke and had been drinking, but the autopsy found no alcohol in his system. Police also reportedly found a bottle of window cleaner in the living room that contained liquid believed to be antifreeze.
After Riley died, Kenoyer told authorities that she should receive some of the $30 million because she was his “common law” wife. She claimed she would split the money with Riley’s son. When authorities told her that North Dakota did not recognize her as a common law wife, she became “incensed,” according to the affidavit.
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“This was an intentional and heinous act. This bond is consistent with people with similar charges,” Ward County State’s Attorney Roza Larson said on Tuesday while seeking a $1 million bond, <a href="https://www.minotdailynews.com/news/local-news/2023/11/woman-professes-innocence-in-poisoning/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to the Minot Daily News</a>. North Central District Court Judge Richard Hagar granted the request.
Kenoyer faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if she’s found guilty.

Alexander Uhrin/Getty Images

North Dakota Woman Charged With Murder For Allegedly Poisoning Boyfriend After He Inherited $30 Million

Murder

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