The North Dakota Republican Party, without quesiton the dominant political organization in state politics, is currently charting its way through some choppy waters.
Controversial new leadership has alienated some of the party's donors. Local NDGOP district leaders are targeting their own incumbent Republican lawmakers. The party's fundraising is showing signs of cratering.
Now the party's executive director, Samantha Holly, who has only served in that position since January, has resigned. "I've always prided myself on being fair to everyone," she said on this episode of Plain Talk, telling me and my co-host Ben Hanson that she didn't see it as her job to be involved in ideological debates. "I am happy to work with whoever," she said.
But things under new party chair Sandi Sanford, who was narrowly elected with support from the aforementioned populists, became untenable. "You can call for unity all you want," Holly said, referencing Sanford's calls to unite the party even as her supporters work against elected Republicans. "They only want it when it works in their favor."
One of the trends under Sanford's leadership has been struggles with fundraising. She's only been in charge of the party for a few months, and Holly pointed out that it isn't unusual for political parties to run in the red for short periods, particularly in non-election years.
Still, she said, there are troubling signs. "It worries me that it's September and not of the major donors have been contacted," she said.
Adding to the party's financial challenges were contribution refunds requested by several large-dollar donors shortly after Sanford's election. "Even knowing that they probably won't give," Holly said in the context of those refunds, "they should still be contacted," she said. The implication being that the party isn't even bothering to ask for support from donors who aren't perceived as being on Sanford's team.
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