A Tale of Two Pipelines

A pipeline runs through North Dakota, but it doesn't carry oil—it carries power. It's a pipeline of influence stretching far beyond our state, connecting corporate boardrooms to congressional offices, lobbyists to lawmakers, and campaign donations to decisions. It's a pipeline that leaves regular folks on the outside, while insiders like Julie Fedorchak—my opponent in North Dakota's U.S. House race—cruise down its gilded path.

This isn't just about North Dakota; it's a snapshot of a broken system. Politicians talk about "small government" but use big government to line their own pockets, blurring the line between regulation and corruption.

Now, there's another pipeline coming—this one literally, and Fedorchak is right in the thick of it. As a member of the Public Service Commission, she approved the project, granting it common carrier status and the power to seize private land through eminent domain. She even bought land near the injection site, signed a deal with the company, and has already pocketed tens of thousands, with the potential for millions more. She insists it's a coincidence, but it's hard to ignore the pattern: a regulator set to profit from a company she oversees, just like she has from others who've benefited from her favorable rulings. Nothing to see here, folks—just politics as usual.

Without the vast subsidies and 45Q carbon tax credits that Trump and Biden eagerly threw at it, the CO2 pipeline wouldn't exist. It's the kind of big-government solution you'd expect self-proclaimed free-market champions to reject. After all, these are the same energy magnates and Republicans who rail against government interference. But when taxpayer money is on the table, they're first in line, ready to cash in. North Dakota regulators like Julie won't stand in their way or deliver consequences when the company exploits the people and the land for profit. And from what we have seen so far, the company behind the CO2 pipeline is a less-than-ideal neighbor. What a difference some real leadership could make. 

But don't expect the governor to intervene. He chairs the Industrial Commission and the Land Board—two bodies directly overseeing the state's biggest economic driver: energy. The leading contender for the seat is Kelly Armstrong, whose family fortune is tied to oil. ProPublica noted that he "earns nearly all of his income from the oil and gas industry." Yet, Armstrong sees no conflict of interest and won't divest or put his holdings in a blind trust.

Around here, expecting officials to step aside when conflicts arise is a quaint idea. My opponent and the rest of North Dakota's executive branch have more pressing matters to address— like how Joe Biden is destroying the energy industry, the economy, and the elite billionaires who keep the rest of us afloat. Pay no attention to the highest oil production in history and listen to North Dakota Republicans: Biden has the industry in a chokehold. 

Biden certainly isn't out to destroy the oil and gas industry (again, the highest oil and natural gas production in history), and neither am I. The industry brought my wife to North Dakota, and I am still grateful for the job I had on workover rigs in the Bakken. Ironically, even the biggest energy companies seem to grasp the reality better than our state government. They're quietly investing in solar, wind, and nuclear, and pushing for carbon capture tax credits—not because they've gone soft on profits, but because they know that in a changing world, adaptation is survival.

The GOP claims to champion energy, but they're really just peddling short-term gains and deregulation, cutting corners while the world moves forward. They'll tell you bureaucratic red tape is the enemy, but that's not why energy companies are embracing renewables. They're doing it because the market demands cleaner energy, and if they don't evolve, they'll be left behind. It's not about innovation for them—it's about keeping up.

For too long, the sensible folks pushing for a cleaner energy future have been framed by right-wingers like my opponent as unrealistic. But I've worked the oil fields and know the reality better than some politicians who've gotten rich off the industry while others did the hard work. We can power our future in a way that's sustainable, responsible, and true to the people who make it possible. Like most North Dakotans, we object to seizing private land, polluting communities, and hiding behind layers of subcontractors to dodge responsibility and socialize the cost of doing business.

When I worked in the Bakken, one of the things we did on the rigs was plug abandoned oil wells, and a bunch of that was paid for with Covid relief money. Companies profited off of all of those wells, and plugging them was their responsibility. The way they got around that was to sell to a smaller company near the end of the well's production life. Then, if the smaller company went out of business or declared bankruptcy, it was up to taxpayers to pick up the tab.  

We don't need another Congress member pumped out of North Dakota's slick candidate pipeline. We need leaders in Congress who know that energy can be both profitable and responsible, that it can power our future without sacrificing our values. I've just released a new ad to drive this point home because we must take back the narrative, just like we've done with freedom and patriotism. Republicans don't own those values, and they don't own energy either. 

But this is about more than energy. It's about fairness, integrity, and the kind of country we want to build for the future. We have a vision for that future. We know that investing in clean energy isn't just about a cleaner planet—it's about creating jobs, maintaining America's leadership in global markets, and ensuring that the energy we produce is efficient, equitable, and at the forefront of innovation. It's about building an economy that works for everyone, not just the wealthiest few.

To make this vision a reality, I need your help. We need leaders who will stand up to corporate interests, fight for the people, and ensure that our energy works for us, not against us. This campaign is about that fight, and we’re just getting started.

Let’s take back the narrative. Let’s take back energy. And let’s take back our future.

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With the U.S. House seat open, the race for North Dakota’s sole congressional district has never been more competitive.

Trygve Hammer is a Navy and Marine Corps veteran, a former public school teacher, and a freight rail conductor. He was appointed to the Naval Academy from the fleet and served as a Marine helicopter pilot, forward air controller, and infantry officer. 

From bunking down in oilfield camps to engaging uninterested teenagers in the classroom, Trygve’s career has been a tour of duty in the trenches of American life. Trygve’s commitment to public service is unwavering. He lives by the ethos “Officers Eat Last” and is ready to serve as North Dakota’s next Congressman, putting the people's needs first.

Watch Trygve’s campaign launch video here.