Race for U.S. House of Representatives: incumbent and challenger responds to Cara Mund

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - Bismarck Century and Harvard University graduate Cara Mund is petitioning to run for the U.S. House of Representatives seat in North Dakota.

“It’s think it’s an uphill battle as an Independent and as a woman,” said Mund.

Cara Mund is petitioning to enter the U.S. House of Representative race in North Dakota. Mund said she’s proud to be the first North Dakotan to represent Miss America in 2018.

Now she’s just starting to fundraise for a potential run for office.

“Right now I’m the manager, the treasurer, social media. I’m the candidate, I’m the speech writer and I’ve done a pretty good job over the past five days if you ask me,” said Mund.

Mund added part of the reason she decided to run is because she doesn’t like incumbent Kelly Armstrong’s voting record.

“I respect Representative Armstrong and I want to make sure that when I do this campaign, especially as the first woman, that I do it with integrity and that’s one of my top priorities. But I will say I am concerned about his voting record. I don’t think North Dakotans are being put at the front,” said Mund.

Representative Armstrong responded to the news of a potential new competitor.

“One of the things I would tell anybody getting into a race late is you gonna try and make a stab. I mean, We’ll deal with it. Listen, if you don’t have a thick skin, you’re in the wrong line of work in this business,” said Rep. Armstrong.

Democratic challenger, Mark Haugen said he’s waiting to hear about Mund’s stance on issues.

“We’ll see what she has planned as we look at her platform on what she stands for but right now of course we’re just kind of watching and seeing what she does in the future here as we get closer to the deadline for her to file her candidacy,” said Haugen.

Mund needs 1000 signatures by September 6th to be added to the ballot for November’s U.S. Representative election.

Your News Leader sat down with Cara Mund about some of the issues across our state and country. Below is a list of answers from Mund about her stance on each topic.

Qualifications to run for Congress:

“I’ve been in these leadership positions; I know what it’s like to represent North Dakotans. I then went on the Harvard Law School. I’ve always said that I wanted to be in office. So, I’ve watched these votes. I’ve watched our Representatives; I know what it’s like to be a leader.”

Incumbent Kelly Amrstrong:

“I respect Representative Armstrong and I want to make sure that when I do this campaign, especially as the first woman, that I do it with integrity and that’s one of my top priorities. But I will say I am concerned about his voting record. I don’t think North Dakotans are being put at the front...”

Does North Dakota need a new voice:

“I don’t even know if it’s a new voice, I think we just need to have our voice heard.”

2023 Farm BIll debate:

“...I know that there’s talks about the subsidy that’s being offered to farmers and how there’s this perception that cutting the subsidies is not gonna really impact when it really does. These are farmers that need to know that if something does not happen, if weather is bad or they need that extra assurance that they’re gonna be taken care of and especially as a representative in Congress, I’m always gonna put our farmers first and our Ag industry, to make sure that we’re protecting them.”

Abortion Rights:

“I think you should have the right to choose. If the opportunity to codify Roe [V. Wade] came up, I would vote in favor of it. I don’t think the government should have the opportunity to infringe on your privacy in your bedroom.”

Second Amendment:

“That’s why I think gun rights is more of a state issue not a federal issue and not a Federal issue and that’s partly too why I want to run as an Independent as I don’t think I should be listening to someone higher up in the party that knows what’s best for California, when they haven’t maybe even talked to a North Dakotan recently. So, I think gun rights should be more of a state issue than a federal issue, but we need to make sure that across the board we’re protecting our people but also holding strong to our Second Amendment rights because it is a right and you should have the right to bear arms.

Decision to run in 2024:

“For me, it’s about: ‘When do you think you need a new Representative?’ ‘When do you think you need a new voice in office?’ [If] in two years I feel like North Dakotans are being represented well, that our voices are being heard, that we’re at the table, then no, I don’t think there’s a need. But right now, I do think that there’s a need to make sure that our voices are heard.”

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