Julie Fedorchak

Julie Ann Fedorchak (née Liffrig; born September 28, 1968) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for North Dakota's at-large congressional district since 2025. Fedorchak is the first woman elected to the House of Representatives from North Dakota. She previously served as a member of the North Dakota Public Service Commission. She was appointed to the commission by Governor Jack Dalrymple in December 2012 and easily won reelection to that position three times: to a two-year term in 2014, to a six-year term in 2016, and to another six-year term in 2022.

Background

Fedorchak was born in Williston, North Dakota in 1968. She is the youngest of eight children to parents Duane and Doris Liffrig. Duane previously served as Highway Commissioner to former Governor of North Dakota Allen Olson.

Fedorchak graduated from the University of North Dakota with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. She later served as communications director for Governor Ed Schafer before becoming a columnist for the Bismarck Tribune and holding numerous other media roles.

Fedorchak has also served on numerous boards.

Public Service Commission

In December 2012, Governor Jack Dalrymple appointed Fedorchak to the North Dakota Public Service Commission after a seat opened. She later won an election to hold the seat in 2014. Shortly after being fully elected to the commission, Fedorchak was also swiftly elected to chair the commission for a two-year term.

Fedorchak was later re-elected in 2016 and in 2022 by wide margins.

Fedorchak has overseen and assisted the commission in numerous projects and investments while also offering transparent information.

U.S. House of Representatives

2024 election

In February 2024, Fedorchak announced her entry into the race for North Dakota's open U.S. House seat. Fedorchak cited matters such as abortion, energy, and agriculture as issues she would focus on as a representative.
Her main primary opponents were former state Representative Rick Becker, farmer Alex Balazs, activist Sharlet Mohr, and Miss America 2018 Cara Mund for the Republican nomination.

During the NDGOP endorsement convention, candidate Rick Becker encouraged his supporters to write in spoiler ballots to prevent an endorsement from going through. After 2 failed ballots, Fedorchak withdrew from the endorsement to allow the convention to continue, giving Alex Balazs the endorsment. Fedorchak received the most state level endorsements of any candidate in the race, including over 50 legislators, U.S. Senator John Hoeven, Governor Doug Burgum, and former President Donald Trump.

In the June 11 primary, Fedorchak won the Republican nomination with 46% of the vote. She would face Democrat Trygve Hammer in the general election. Shortly after the primary, Fedorchak's campaign filed an FEC complaint regarding election interference after a mass of texts and emails were sent falsely stating she had dropped out of the race on the day of the election.

Fedorchak defeated Hammer in the election 69% to 30%, making her the first woman to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from North Dakota. She is also the first Republican woman elected to Congress from North Dakota and the first woman to represent North Dakota in Congress since Heidi Heitkamp, who served in the U.S. Senate from 2013 to 2019.

Tenure

Fedorchak was sworn in on January 3, 2025. She was chosen in her first term to serve on the Energy and Commerce committee, where her predecessor had served as the Vice-Chair. Fedorchak is also the first freshman member in 14 years to be appointed to the committee.

Following a trend of congress members hosting Town hall meetings with constituents, Fedorchak hosted a virtual town hall on March 25, 2025. When asked about the meeting being virtual, Fedorchak stated “I simply haven’t found any other venue that allows me to talk to like tonight 3,000 North Dakotans probably more than that because of Facebook and the online options.” She later said she plans to hold more, and she would schedule one for May 1, 2025.

Fedorchak voted in favor of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act. And on April 10, 2025, Fedorchak introduced legislation to remove the tax credits given in the Inflation Reduction Act to solar and wind energy, saying the credits pose “unprecedented reliability risks to the nations electrical grid due to their intermittent nature.” However, she stated projects currently operating receiving these credits should continue to.

Committee assignments

*Committee on Energy and Commerce
** Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
** Subcommittee on Energy
** Subcommittee on Environment

Personal life

Fedorchak has had three children with her husband, Michael Fedorchak. They have been members of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit congregation in Bismarck for 30 years.

Fedorchak's father, Duane, suffered from Alzheimer's disease before dying in 2015.https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/bismarcktribune/name/duane-liffrig-obituary?id=51887825

Electoral history

References

External links

Official website

Personal Website

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Fedorchak, Julie
1968 births
21st-century American women politicians
21st-century members of the United States House of Representatives
Catholic politicians from North Dakota
Female members of the United States House of Representatives
Living people
North Dakota public service commissioners
North Dakota Republicans
Politicians from Williston, North Dakota
Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from North Dakota
University of North Dakota alumni
Women in North Dakota politics