District 6 voters elect Republicans
State Rep. Paul Thomas, R-Velva, won a seat in the North Dakota Senate Tuesday with a 7,312 to 1,525 victory over independent candidate Robert Tolar of Bottineau, according to the unofficial tally in District 6.
Running unopposed for the state House of Representatives were Rep. Dick Anderson and Dan Vollmer, both Republicans from Willow City. Anderson received 6,513 in the unofficial count and Vollmer received 6,361 votes.
Thomas is a fourth-generation farmer on the family farm in southern McHenry County. He has been involved in local organizations, including having served on the Velva City Commission. He has served four years in the state House of Representatives, where he has chaired the Agriculture Committee and held a seat on the Industry, Business and Labor Committee.
Anderson was first elected to the House to represent District 7 in 2010 and in 2012 was elected in District 6. He has farmed and ranched on his family’s farm and continues to do so with his son, who is the farm’s fourth generation. He has served on several community boards. In the Legislature, he has served on the Human Services, Finance and Tax and Energy and Natural Resources committees.
Vollmer lives and is active on the family farm near Willow City and has been involved in the banking community for 40 years. He is a former vice chairman for the Republican Party in District 9. For many years, he was a volunteer hunter education instructor.
District 6 encompasses all of Renville, Bottineau and McHenry counties, a small portion of Ward County, including Sawyer, and northeastern McLean County.