A North Dakota Republican who died of COVID-19 last month never got to finish his run for the state legislature — but that didn’t stop him from winning a seat on Tuesday.
According to unofficial results posted by the secretary of state’s office, deceased candidate David Andahl became one of two Republicans elected to represent North Dakota’s 8th District in the state’s House of Representatives. The other newly-elected official is Republican Dave Nehring.
Andahl died on Oct. 6 after suffering from the coronavirus for four days, according to the Associated Press. He was only 55, and had been “very careful” about the pandemic, according to his mother Pat Andahl.
“He had a lot of feelings for his county,” she told the Bismarck Tribune at the time. “His heart was in farming. He wanted things better for farmers and the coal industry.”
Despite being dead, Andahl still won nearly 36% of the vote in his race against three other opponents, which in addition to Nehring also included Democrats Kathrin Volochenko and Linda Babb. Even though he earned it, Andahl, of course, cannot posthumously serve in the North Dakota House of Representatives. In late October, the state’s attorney general recommended that, should he win, his seat will be filled by an appointment chosen by the state’s Republican party.
Coronavirus cases have skyrocketed in the months of October and November in North Dakota, according to state health officials’ tally, with a current total of over 8,000 positive cases in the state and 567 cumulative deaths.
Disgruntled Ex-Trump Staffers Who Voted for Biden, From Michael Cohen to Omarosa (Photos)
On election day, take a break from all the incredible stress you're probably feeling with TheWrap's breakdown of ex-Trump employees getting revenge on their former boss by voting for Joe Biden.
Michael Cohen -- "Guess what I did this morning...bright and early?" Trump ex-lawyer tweeted (spoiler: he voted for Biden).
James Comey -- "Vote for your country," the former FBI director said in a tweet that included a photo of him wearing a Biden-Harris t-shirt. So, kind of the opposite of what he did 4 years ago.
Omarosa -- "Just know that I voted for the graduate of Howard University, because I'm a Bison through and through!" Omarosa Manigault Newman told Extra, referring to Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
Miles Taylor -- "Closing argument: 230,000+ American lives lost. Vote him out," the author of the anonymous "resistance within the Trump White House" op-ed tweeted, referencing the number of people killed by COVID-19. Sidenote, Taylor helped develop Trump's policy of separating refugee children from their families, a policy the UN says violates international law.
Alexander Vindman -- "This time last year, I appeared before the House Committees investigating @realDonaldTrump ’s extortion of Ukraine to steal an American election. I did my duty & told the truth," the NSC whistleblower said.
Olivia Troye -- "As a lifelong #Republican-for the 1st time ever in my voting life-#IVoted for a straight #Democratic ticket. Together-we can stop @realDonaldTrump from continuing to destroy our country," the former Homeland Security Official tweeted
1 of 8
A few of the President’s former employees stuck the knife in with Election Day social media posts
On election day, take a break from all the incredible stress you're probably feeling with TheWrap's breakdown of ex-Trump employees getting revenge on their former boss by voting for Joe Biden.