‘My roots are here’ — Jay Elkin elected to be District 36 state senator

Dec. 03--Stark County Commissioner Jay Elkin will be the new District 36 state senator.

Nominated by his daughter and earning well over 50 percent of the vote from a packed room in the Biesiot Activities Center, Elkin spoke to the work ethic he developed from a life of farming and ranching in Southwestern North Dakota.

"Mr. Chairman, delegates and other nominees, the seat left vacant by the election of Kelly Armstrong comes as a tremendous honor and a great responsibility, as well as a lot of hard work when one comes to the Legislature," Elkin said. "I learned that value as a farmer/rancher here in southwestern North Dakota. I am a fifth generation ag producer from the Taylor-Richardton area."

Elkin spoke to his experiences on the Stark County Commission, where he's served for 10 years.

"I understand the challenges that leaders face today and I'm not afraid to make tough, important decisions. I've been involved in a lot of county, state and national groups and organizations ... I had the privilege of testifying in Bismarck before the Legislature on a number of issues, issues not only involving ag but private property issues as well," Elkin said. "I had the honor of testifying in Washington, D.C., and meeting with U.S. Senators and U.S. House of Representative members and primarily testifying on the Farm Bill ... as well as crop insurance, regulations placed on us by the EPA and how they affect us as farmers, ranchers and businessmen."

Elkin will be reporting to Bismarck Sunday night.

"I will listen to the citizens of District 36 ... I genuinely care about North Dakota, but especially southwestern North Dakota," Elkin said. "This is where I grew up. My roots are here. I want to thank you for your consideration of placing me as your next state senator. I would be honored and humbled and I ask for your vote in support."

After the vote, Elkin said he felt "really elated."

"I could have cried when my daughter gave the nominating speech," he said. "I didn't know what she was going to say and she really hit it out of the ballpark. This is a great turnout. It tells me this party is alive and well, we had a great group of candidates this evening and, you know, I'm just grateful for the support I have."

There were hundreds of people packed into the Biesiot Activities Center, all dues-paying members of the District 36 Republican Party, who had come out in great numbers to nominate and vote on four candidates -- Frank Klein, Marya Skaare, Andrew Kordonowy and Elkin.

Skaare came in second behind Elkin.

"I want to thank everyone who came out this evening tonight, especially the other nominees," Elkin said in his closing remarks. "We're all trying for the same goal, we want to do what is in the best interest of our district, southwestern North Dakota. It means so much to us this evening."

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