Prairie Public News Director Dave Thompson moderated a debate with North Dakota U.S. House candidates Trygve Hammer (D), Helene Neville (I), and Charles Tuttle (I) on October 8, 2026. Republican incumbent Rep. Julie Fedorchak did not participate. In a statement, Fedorchak said she agreed to a one-hour debate with Hammer, but withdrew after Prairie Public added two candidates and planned to extend the debate to 90 minutes.
When Neville and Tuttle became qualified U.S. House candidates, Prairie Public added them to the already-scheduled debate because the station invites all candidates on the ballot, regardless of party, CEO John Harris said in a statement.
Hammer, who is challenging Fedorchak for a second time, said he brought up concerns about data centers and expanding executive authority two years ago on the same debate stage. “I’m running again this time because all of the problems we discussed here two years ago have only gotten worse,” Hammer said. “We need to bring down prices. We need to make life easier and better for everyday North Dakotans, not just for big donors and corporations.”
Hammer said the debate surrounding data centers reflects the distrust people have involving technology companies, corporations and billionaires. He said he wants more transparency measures, which he believes would help stop developers from “rolling over” small towns and individuals. “We need regulation, and Congress needs to act to ensure that the AI economy does not hurt regular working people,” Hammer said.
Neville said data centers should have remediation plans for their sites if there becomes a time when those facilities are abandoned for the next technology. Tuttle said data centers will likely be obsolete in five to 10 years. “No one seems to have a plan for longevity for any of this stuff,” he said. Tuttle said he also worries the increased use of AI and data would lead to increased surveillance by the government.
Hammer said one of his priorities, if elected, would be to push for an anti-gerrymandering bill. “That would show Congress getting something done for the people, not themselves and would be popular across the entire political spectrum,” he said. Hammer said he would not be a rubber stamp for President Donald Trump, political donors or even his own Democratic Party.
As a member of Congress, Tuttle said he would make the Department of Government Efficiency cuts permanent. “We’ve got fraud, it seems like, everywhere,” Tuttle said. He added he supports Trump and wants to see his policies moved through Congress and into federal law. “We need the Republicans in Congress to get behind it and get these bills passed,” he said.
Neville said she’s an independent because she is “for the people, not politics.” Her top priority if elected to the U.S. House would be to help enact age and term limits for members of Congress, she said. “There is no way that a 94-year-old senator from Iowa … has any relevancy on what’s going on today,” Neville said. “The people first campaign is just to help everybody that needs a helping hand.”
Tuttle told viewers he is the only Republican running the U.S. House race, as an independent. He criticized Fedorchak for not seeking the Republican endorsement at the state conv
