Three candidates on the Republican primary ticket are vying for two House spots on the November ballot in legislative District 3.

Incumbent Jeff Hoverson and running mate Lori VanWinkle are the endorsed candidates. Challenging them is former District 3 legislator Roscoe Streyle.

Streyle is a Minot banker. Hoverson is a Lutheran Brethren pastor and VanWinkle is a Realtor in Minot.

District 3 includes the east side of Minot and the rural area east of Minot that includes Logan and Surrey.

1. What do you see as the top priority or priorities for the 2023 Legislature? What are your thoughts on the direction the state should take to address these issues?

VanWinkle: Increase the availability and accessibility of a variety of K-12 educational models, including charter, magnet and private schools; protect female sports from male participation; protect the definition of gender as male and female; rein in spending; eliminate property tax; health freedom; protect the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.

The state should pass a strong school choice bill. Fund students, not a broken system. Give parents and students power to choose which school/education model is best for them. Competition drives success in all areas; education should be no exception.

The state should recognize that Gender theory and Critical Race theory and other agendas have no place in the public schools as they are a tool for indoctrination and are trying to rewrite our foundation truths and values.

The Legislature should:

– pass a bill to prohibit school mask mandates.

– pass a bill to establish a parental bill of rights.

– pass a bill to eliminate property tax.

– pass a bill to require hospitals to allow patients to have access to family and visitors.

Hoverson: Individual freedom, which is our #1 Republican platform item. North Dakota can and should lead on freedom, legislatively. North Dakota can and should be a hope for the nation.

We need bills to shrink government size, stop government and health departments from tyranny, lockdowns and mandates. We need to stop the record spending that my opponent supports. We need to eliminate immoral property tax 100%. We need to promote a Christian worldview again as our foundation. We need to nullify the federal government as it steps outside the boundaries of the Constitution. The solution is our Republican platform. Unfortunately, only a minority of legislators follow it.

Streyle: Tax relief in all forms should be top priority. I’m proposing reducing ALL residential property taxes by 50%. The plan would return $250 million per year to the people and be paid for by budget surplus. The estimated surplus is over $2 billion.

The state should be focused on making North Dakota the best possible place to do business. Over-regulating, over-taxing and overspending can damage the state’s competitiveness. Investments in infrastructure like flood protection, water supply projects and roads are beneficial to the state and local taxpayers. The government’s job is pretty simple – provide for good infrastructure and a competitive business climate, get out of the way and let the private sector develop and grow the economy.

2. What do you see as the top priority or priorities for District 3 in the 2023 Legislature and how do you plan to advocate for them? Hoverson: Same as question one, plus finish our flood control and finish NAWS. After those are done, we need to rediscover the proper role of local government.

Streyle: I plan to introduce a historic 50% residential property tax cut on all residential property in North Dakota. This plan is bold, conservative, affordable and warranted with the current and ever-growing state budget surplus.

Keeping the government out of education and healthcare decisions is another top priority. We know what’s best for our businesses and homes.

North Dakota employers are under extreme stress trying to find workers, the state must do all it can to encourage more participation in the workplace and recruitment of families to North Dakota to help employers.

Never again should local, state or federal governments shut down or lock down businesses and people’s freedoms. I will fight to ensure that never happens in North Dakota.

VanWinkle: 1) Eliminate political and social indoctrination in our public school curriculum and advocating for school choice. I would love the opportunity to join the Education Committee and help support legislation that promotes educational freedom.

2) Encourage entrepreneurship and the freedom to pursue the career of one’s choice without undue interference from the government in the forms of federal mandates and high taxes. I firmly stand for limited government and will advocate accordingly.

3) Elimination of property taxes and addressing the housing shortage. Appropriate regulations and permit requirements for building homes in our community are necessary, but too many regulations are a hindrance.

4) Protection for landlords providing housing opportunity, and more freedom to charge appropriate fees on negligent tenants.

3. In what way do you feel you can personally contribute to the Legislature, such as bringing knowledge, background or a particular passion.

Streyle: I served District 3 for eight years (2010-2018). I have a proven track record of getting things done for the district, region and state. I’ve been consistently ranked as a top conservative Republican during my elected years. My background is in business, and the previous time I served in the Legislature I was on the House Appropriations Committee. I understand business and the state budget very well. My previous legislative experience will serve our district, region and state well next session. Relationships are what get things done in Bismarck. I have built relationships with many legislators and have maintained them to this day. District 3 has lost all credibility in the N.D. Legislature. I want to restore credibility and bring our district back to a place of respect and action. The Legislature is like business and life – you must build relationships and trust with your peers. It’s really that simple. We do not have that in District 3 right now and that needs to change.

VanWinkle: I always strive to bring excellence and a strong commitment to the positions I pursue in my life. My husband and I are committed to running our businesses with honesty, quality and integrity, and I will bring the same commitment to the Legislature. The awards I have received in my career highlight my strong work ethic, character and integrity. I do what I say I will do, and I am who I say that I am. As a Realtor, I bring understanding of the housing crisis, property taxes, flood control concerns, and am committed to helping Minot citizens in these areas. My passion is to serve where there is need, as I have done in being a stay-at-home mom for 12 years, homeschooling, coaching youth sports and volunteering at my church. I am prepared to serve our community with excellence.

Hoverson: I am proactive. My bills reveal that. This is where my opponent and I differ.

I am one of the few who is tuned in to what is going on in the global effort of the Great Reset that is wrecking our country. I hope people vote in legislators who understand the tyranny we are facing from wealthy, unelected bureaucrats. North Dakota needs to shield itself from that effort.

4. Are there areas of the state budget you believe need to be addressed, either through additional, reduced or redesigned spending?

VanWinkle: Yes, I believe our state budget is not being stewarded well. I am learning more about this each day, and promise to work to understand and be involved in advocating for fiscal responsibility.

Hoverson: Spending needs to decrease by at least 50%. Our N.D. government grew from $12 billion to $17 billion in just two sessions. We are hurting the citizens and the economy. I propose that the size of our state budget should not ever be larger than 10% of our state GDP.

Again, we need to re-examine the proper role of the government. Currently, RINOs are in control and we need true Republican, freedom minded, conservatives to have a majority again.

Streyle: The budget surplus is going to be very large going into next session. The top priority must be returning money to the North Dakota citizens. People, not the government, know how to better spend money. North Dakota’s economy is doing well, but inflation in the form of higher energy costs, higher fuel costs, higher food costs and higher property taxes is putting a dent in people’s budgets. A great way to return some of North Dakota’s windfall revenue is to reduce property taxes by 50%. This will put money back into the people’s pockets and back into the economy.

5. Is there anything you want the voters to know about you or the interests you have that will guide you in legislating for your district, if elected?

Hoverson: Bible-believing Christian. Romans 1:16 – “…and not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Proud to be aligned with the Bastiat caucus.

Streyle: I’ve successfully served as representative for eight years prior. During that time I was on the powerful House Appropriations Committee. On that committee I helped craft the budgets for higher education institutions, State Water Commission, Department of Public Instruction, Commerce Department, N.D. Parks and other key budgets that impact Minot, Surrey and the region. My colleagues and I were able to secure over $250 million in flood protection and water projects for Minot and Surrey.

So, I’ve proven I can deliver for District 3. I am a person of action, not a person of talking. I’ve a 100% pro-life voting record, endorsed by the NRA, pro-2nd Amendment, pro-business and pro-family. Anyone can go complain and say no to everything, but results are what matter, and I have delivered and can deliver again.

VanWinkle: This is a critically important time for saving our future. We need committed and true servant leaders to uphold our nation’s founding principles of limited government under God, and who seek to protect our freedom, liberty and sanctity of life. As a Bible-believing Christian and an endorsed Republican candidate from District 3, I pledge to uphold Biblical values our country was founded upon, and the Republican party platform, if elected.