North Dakota Democrats endorsed Trygve Hammer Saturday to represent the party after a fiery convention speech critical of Republican incumbent Rep. Julie Fedorchak.

Hammer overwhelmingly defeated Democratic-NPL candidates Vern Thompson and Helene Neville to secure the party’s nomination. Hammer, a former Marine and graduate of the Naval Academy, invoked a famous Navy phrase while pledging to stand by North Dakotans.

BISMARCK — Trygve Hammer received his second endorsement in three years to represent the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party in a race for the state's sole U.S. House of Representatives seat.

He received endorsement with 360 votes during Saturday's convention. His competitors for the endorsement Helene Neville and Vern Thompson received 25 and 64 votes, respectively.

BISMARCK — The North Dakota Democratic-NPL convention in Bismarck today feels different from the party's past events. At least the ones I've been to, which have occurred during the party's decades-long dormant phase. In the recent past, it has felt like the party, beaten down, was going through the motion.

That is clearly not the case today…

The North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party expects to see many new faces at its state convention this weekend but it also will need to find new leadership among its legislators.

Adam Goldwyn, chair of the Dem-NPL Party, said he is anticipating the strongest convention attendance since…

I knew my day yesterday would be starting early. What I didn’t know was the news I’d be waking up to. I had been invited to talk with folks in the northwest corner of the state, and now the tone of those conversations would reflect what had happened overnight.