A civil war is playing out in the North Dakota Republican Party between traditionally conservative Republicans and MAGA-aligned populists. One front in that war is the NDGOP's legislative primaries, where a group called Citizens Alliance of North Dakota is trying to defeat traditional Republicans.

State Rep. Brandon Prichard, a Republican from Bismarck, is the executive director of Citizens Alliance. His group has been sending mailers to voters suggesting that its preferred candidates in the primaries are backed by incumbents who do not support actually them.

One of the candidates targeted by these tactics, Rep. Jeremy Olson, a first-termer from District 26 who is seeking another term in the state House, joined this episode of Plain Talk. He called Prichard's tactics "absolutely underhanded and unethical.

Also, on this episode, guest co-host Ben Hanson and I and discuss former Fargo Mayor Jon Lindgren's argument that Gov. Doug Burgum is seeking to be disgraced former President Donald Trump's runningmate for the sake of being a moderating influence.

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