An attempt to repeal an earlier decision by the ND GOP to 'end partisan primaries' failed. So, the party is asking that candidate nominations are the purview of the party, and not subject to primary challengers.
Some have said this will likely need Legislative action. At the same time, legislators who supported ending convention endorsements are working on bills for the 2027 Legislative session.
This could be an interesting discussion for legislators next year.

Delegates to the North Dakota GOP Convention have chose Alex Balazs as their nominee for the state's lone US House seat.

This is a repeat of 2024, when the Convention picked Balazs over then-Public Service Commissioner Julie Fedorchak. At that convention, thanks to a number of intentionally spoiled ballots, Fedorchak was denied the nod. She eventually walked out of that convention, saying she would run in the primary. That convention endorsed Balazs instead, but Fedorchak won.

In this year's convention, Fedorchak said she wouldn't seek the convention's nomination, and instead again would run in the primary.

That may be one of the reasons some in the GOP want to end so-called "partisan primaries."

Stay tuned.

North Dakota Republicans have passed a resolution to remove the "R" identifier from candidates who do not attend the state convention.

That, after elected state officials refused to attend the Minot convention.

There will be another resolution Sunday to remove partisan races from the primary ballot.

Supporters have criticized the elected officials for not following the party platform.

There is also a question whether the party can remove the R designation without a change in state law.

Whether the GOP would endorse a PSC candidate who didn't qualify for endorsement under party rules became a kerfuffle at the Convention.
There are technically two seats up for election in 2026. One is a full six year term, the other is to finish out the remainder of the term of Julie Fedorchak, who was elected to the US House with time left.
The party leaders ruled that candidate Chris Olsen didn't qualify for endorsement under the rules. Then, a motion was made to give Olsen a "Letter of Support," similar to that given to the non-partisan office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. That was also determined to be out of order. Then there was the attempt to give Olsen a "letter of recommendation." While that motion was ruled to be in order, several delegates said this could open the proverbial "can of worms" for other candidates. In the end, the delegates rejected the "letter of approval."

The 2026 GOP convention is underway. And there was a little controversy to start. One delegate paid his dues for the convention, butr hadn't paid the Party dues at the set deadline. The credentials committee voted not to seat the person. But a motion was made to seat him, and a majority of the other delegates voted to approve it. That brings the seated delegates to 705.

It was a small reminder of the kerfuffle two years ago, when there was an effort to throw out the District 37 delegation for alleged violation of rules. That didn't happen.