Julie Fedorchak

Julie Fedorchak
Born	Julie Ann Liffrig 28 9, 1968
Birthplace	Williston, North Dakota, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, public utilities commissioner
Known for	First woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from North Dakota
Education	University of North Dakota (BA)
Spouse(s)	Michael Fedorchak
Children	3
Website	[fedorchaknd.com Official site]

Julie Ann Fedorchak (née Liffrig; born September 28, 1968) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for North Dakota's at-large congressional district since January 2025. A member of the Republican Party, Fedorchak holds the distinction of being the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from North Dakota, a milestone in a state that had sent only men to Congress throughout its history as a state since 1889. Prior to her election to Congress, Fedorchak served for over a decade on the North Dakota Public Service Commission, to which she was initially appointed in 2012 by Governor Jack Dalrymple. In that role, she oversaw the regulation of public utilities, pipelines, and other infrastructure during a period of significant energy development in North Dakota. Her congressional campaign in 2024 was marked by a contentious Republican endorsement process and a competitive primary election, which she ultimately won before prevailing in the general election to succeed Kelly Armstrong, who left the seat to become Governor of North Dakota.

Early Life

Julie Ann Liffrig was born on September 28, 1968, in Williston, North Dakota, a city in the northwestern part of the state situated in the heart of the Williston Basin, a region that would later become central to North Dakota's oil boom. She grew up in North Dakota and later married Michael Fedorchak. The couple has three children together.

Fedorchak's upbringing in western North Dakota placed her in a community deeply connected to agriculture and, increasingly, energy production. Williston and the surrounding area experienced dramatic economic changes over the decades, particularly with the development of oil extraction technologies that transformed the Bakken formation into one of the most productive oil fields in the United States. These economic and energy issues would later become central themes in Fedorchak's career in public service and politics.

Education

Fedorchak attended the University of North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. The University of North Dakota is the oldest institution of higher education in the state, founded in 1883, six years before North Dakota achieved statehood.

Career

North Dakota Public Service Commission (2012–2025)

Fedorchak's career in public service began in earnest when Governor Jack Dalrymple appointed her to the North Dakota Public Service Commission (PSC) on December 31, 2012. She was appointed to fill the seat previously held by Kevin Cramer, who had been elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. The PSC is a three-member elected body responsible for regulating public utilities, telecommunications companies, and certain pipeline operations within North Dakota. Fedorchak's appointment placed her in a significant regulatory role during a period of rapid energy development in the state, as the Bakken oil boom was transforming North Dakota's economy and creating new demands on infrastructure and public services.

Fedorchak subsequently won election and reelection to the PSC, serving under three governors: Jack Dalrymple, Doug Burgum, and Kelly Armstrong. During her tenure on the commission, she dealt with regulatory matters related to the state's energy sector, utilities, and infrastructure development. Her service on the PSC lasted over twelve years, from late 2012 until January 3, 2025, when she resigned to take her seat in Congress. She was succeeded on the commission by Jill Kringstad.

Fedorchak's lengthy tenure on the PSC gave her deep familiarity with energy policy, utility regulation, and the intersection of economic development and environmental oversight—issues of particular importance to North Dakota, which is one of the nation's leading producers of oil, natural gas, and coal-generated electricity.

2024 U.S. House Campaign

Entry into the Race

In February 2024, Fedorchak announced her candidacy for North Dakota's at-large seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. The seat had become open when incumbent Representative Kelly Armstrong announced his candidacy for Governor of North Dakota. Fedorchak entered a Republican field that already included other challengers. Among her Republican opponents were Alex Balazs, a businessman from Cando, and Rick Becker, a former state legislator known for his libertarian-leaning positions within the party.

During the campaign, Fedorchak addressed a range of issues important to North Dakota voters, including energy policy, agricultural matters, and national security. She campaigned across the state, including a stop in Dickinson where she discussed her policy positions and endorsed Donald Trump for president.

Fedorchak garnered significant endorsements during the campaign. U.S. Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota endorsed her candidacy, providing her with a high-profile show of support from the state's senior Republican elected official. She also accumulated a substantial number of legislative endorsements from state lawmakers, which one analysis described as a decisive advantage in the "battle of legislative endorsements."

Contentious State Party Convention

The North Dakota Republican Party's state convention in April 2024 became a notable episode in the campaign. The convention, at which delegates vote to award the party's endorsement to a candidate, proved highly contentious. After multiple rounds of balloting, no candidate received the required threshold of delegate votes to secure the endorsement, resulting in a deadlock. Tensions rose at the convention, with reports of protest votes among delegates and significant discord between different factions of the state party.

Fedorchak ultimately withdrew from the endorsement process after a pair of failed votes, and the convention endorsement was subsequently awarded to Alex Balazs. Despite losing the party endorsement, Fedorchak chose to remain in the race and contest the June primary election, a decision that reflected her confidence in her broader support among Republican voters beyond the convention delegates.

Complaints and Controversies

The campaign was further complicated by allegations of election interference. Fedorchak's campaign filed formal complaints with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) alleging election interference and fraud related to text messages and other activities during the endorsement and primary process. The Bismarck Tribune also reported on complaints related to text messages that were part of the disputes surrounding the campaign. These filings highlighted the intensity of the intraparty competition for the open seat.

Primary and General Election Victories

Despite failing to secure the state party's endorsement, Fedorchak won the Republican primary election in June 2024, defeating both the endorsed candidate, Alex Balazs, and Rick Becker, among other candidates. The primary results were reported by the North Dakota Secretary of State. Her primary victory demonstrated that she commanded significant support among rank-and-file Republican voters, even without the formal backing of the party convention.

In the November 2024 general election, Fedorchak won decisively, consistent with North Dakota's strong Republican lean in federal elections. With her victory, she became the first woman elected to represent North Dakota in the U.S. House of Representatives, a historic achievement in a state that had been represented exclusively by men in Congress since achieving statehood in 1889.

U.S. House of Representatives (2025–present)

Fedorchak took office on January 3, 2025, succeeding Kelly Armstrong, who had been elected governor. As the representative for North Dakota's at-large congressional district, she represents the entire state, which encompasses approximately 780,000 residents. Her predecessor in the seat, Armstrong, had served since 2019, and before him, Kevin Cramer—whose PSC seat Fedorchak had originally filled—held the House seat from 2013 to 2019 before being elected to the U.S. Senate.

Fedorchak's background on the North Dakota Public Service Commission provided her with substantial experience in energy regulation, an area of policy importance given North Dakota's status as one of the top oil-producing states in the nation. Her congressional service represents a continuation of her focus on energy, infrastructure, and economic issues relevant to North Dakota.

Personal Life

Julie Fedorchak is married to Michael Fedorchak. The couple has three children together. The family resides in North Dakota. Beyond these publicly documented facts, Fedorchak has maintained a relatively private personal life despite her public service career.

Fedorchak was born Julie Ann Liffrig in Williston, North Dakota, and has maintained connections to the state throughout her life, attending the University of North Dakota and building her career in state government and politics within North Dakota.

Recognition

Fedorchak's election to Congress in November 2024 was widely noted for its historic nature. She became the first woman ever elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from North Dakota, breaking a barrier that had stood since the state's admission to the Union in 1889. This milestone placed her among a broader wave of women achieving firsts in congressional representation from their respective states in the 21st century.

Her campaign attracted significant institutional support, including the endorsement of U.S. Senator John Hoeven, one of the most prominent Republican figures in North Dakota politics. She also received endorsements from numerous members of the North Dakota state legislature, reflecting her standing within the state's political establishment.

During her tenure on the North Dakota Public Service Commission, Fedorchak served for over twelve years, making her one of the longer-serving members of that body in recent decades. Her regulatory experience positioned her as a knowledgeable voice on energy and utility issues, both at the state level and as she transitioned to federal office.

Legacy

While Fedorchak's congressional career began only in January 2025, her place in North Dakota political history is already established as the first woman elected to the U.S. House from the state. North Dakota was one of the last states in the country that had never elected a woman to Congress, and Fedorchak's victory closed that gap.

Her career trajectory—from her appointment to the Public Service Commission in 2012 to her election to Congress in 2024—illustrates a path through state regulatory service to federal office that is relatively uncommon in American politics. Most members of Congress arrive from state legislatures, law practices, or business backgrounds, making Fedorchak's extensive experience in utility and energy regulation a distinctive element of her political biography.

The contentious 2024 Republican endorsement process that Fedorchak navigated also drew attention to internal dynamics within the North Dakota Republican Party. Her decision to bypass the convention endorsement and compete directly in the primary—successfully—demonstrated the difference between party activist preferences and the broader Republican electorate in the state. This dynamic mirrored similar patterns observed in other state Republican parties during the same election cycle, where endorsed candidates were not always the same as those preferred by primary voters.

Fedorchak's tenure on the PSC spanned a transformative period in North Dakota's energy landscape. During her years on the commission (2012–2025), the state experienced both the peak of the Bakken oil boom and subsequent fluctuations in oil prices that significantly affected the state's economy and public finances. Her regulatory decisions during this period shaped how North Dakota managed the infrastructure demands and environmental considerations associated with rapid energy development.