Free Republic

North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple announced Monday that he will not run for re-election next year, blowing the gubernatorial race wide open and intensifying speculation over whether Democratic U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp will seek the state’s highest office. The 66-year-old Dalrymple said in a news release that he and first lady Betsy Dalrymple plan to spend more time with family, including their five grandchildren. “It continues to be my great privilege to serve my state, service that includes 16 years as a state representative, 10 years as lieutenant governor and (the) last five-plus years as governor,” he said. “North Dakota...

North Dakota’s Republican governor sent a memo to 17 government departments on Monday saying discrimination against anyone is unacceptable, just two hours before every Democrat in the Legislature delivered a letter calling on him to go further and issue an executive order prohibiting bias against gays and lesbians. Gov. Jack Dalrymple’s chief of staff sent the letter to all agency directors appointed by the governor. “This administration expects all cabinet agencies to hire employees and to maintain agency staff based on ability and performance,” Chief of Staff Ron Rauschenberger wrote. “Ours remains a policy of non-discrimination, including no discrimination based...

BISMARCK -- Gov. Jack Dalrymple signed legislation this afternoon repealing the North Dakota law that mandates use of the UND Fighting Sioux nickname. Earlier, by a lopsided margin almost exactly opposite of the vote they cast to defend UND's Fighting Sioux nickname and logo in February, members of the North Dakota House approved a bill today to repeal their earlier action and clear the way for the nickname's retirement. The vote was 63-31, sending the bill to Dalrymple, who at the start of this week's special session had asked the Legislature to repeal the nickname mandate. The Senate had approved...