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MINOT, N.D. — A pro-life Democrat running for North Dakota's at-large U.S. House seat will still enjoy the support of his party despite push back from some activists.
Yesterday I reported that a district chairman for the North Dakota Democratic-NPL would be introducing a resolution calling on the party to pull support from U.S. House candidate Mark Haugen .
I can report that last night the resolution failed after an angry, and at times profane, speech from the party's District 7 chairman Patrick Englehart.
I had attempted to speak to Englehart about his resolution yesterday, but he told me he won't speak to me because he's "not a big fan" of my work.
According to my sources who attended the meeting, which was held virtually, Englehart addressed the party's policy committee for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, accusing conservatives of treating women like "brood mares" and "chattel," and accusing the Democratic-NPL of doing too much to compromise with conservatives.
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He also argued that, whether the party continues supporting him or not, Haugen is going to lose.
He told committee members that he should probably not speak up on this issue, to avoid more "Rob Port columns" about disunity in the party, but that he felt he had to. He also clashed with party chairman Patrick Hart and committee parliamentarian Chris McEwen, accusing them of trying to limit the amount of time he could speak.
He said, repeatedly, that the message from "conservative Christians" to women was "f--- you," a remark that earned him a rebuke from Hart and one other committee attendee who objected because his child was listening.
At the end of his speech, Englehart asked for a roll call vote, asking committee members to put their names beside their vote.
Other committee members spoke, some in favor of abortion, and others in favor of Haugen, after which the voice vote was called and the resolution failed.
The committee ultimately rejected holding a roll call vote, but observers said it was clear that the resolution received only two voice votes, one from Englehart himself.
There were approximately 55 committee members present.
After the vote, Haugen stood and thanked the committee for their support in what was described to me as an emotional speech.
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He promised to represent all members of the party regardless of their beliefs.
