Unofficial results showed Blaine DesLauriers garnering 706 votes and Tim Mihalick with 686 votes, which would move them on to represent the party in the general election in November.

Incumbent Jeff Hoverson was only 23 votes behind Mihalick with 663, and Crystal Hendrickson received 622 votes.

District 3 includes a section of east Minot, Surrey and the surrounding rural area.

DesLauriers and Mihalick work in the banking industry, although DesLauriers announced he plans to retire June 30.

Tim Mihalick

Mihalick brings more than 40 years of business and public leadership experience, including currently serving as senior vice president at First Western Bank & Trust. He has served in numerous civic and statewide leadership roles, including as chair and current member of the State Board of Higher Education.

DesLauriers serves as vice chair of the board and senior executive vice president at First International Bank & Trust and has spent nearly five decades in financial leadership and public service.

Endorsed by Gov. Kelly Armstrong, they campaigned on what has been a traditional Republican platform, while Hoverson and Hendrickson represented a more conservative movement looking to return the party to a platform from which they feel it has strayed.

DesLauriers and Mihalick emphasized priorities including energy development, workforce growth, education, infrastructure improvements, and maintaining a low-tax, pro-business environment.

Hendrickson had said she represents the district’s grassroots conservatives who want to see more restraint in government spending. Hendrickson serves on the North Prairie Regional Water Board and Ward County Planning Commission.

Running for his third term, Hoverson said he was planning to work behind the scenes in the Legislature to uphold the Republican platform and promote conservative policies.