Another Potential Statewide Democrat Candidate Declines To Run

Well, more specifically, he’s declining to run for statewide office.

Previously state Rep. Corey Mock, known for his twee hipster aesthetic and not living in his current legislative district, had flirted with potentially running for Auditor. Mock has made a lot of noise about ethics during his time in the Legislature, and some saw the Auditor position (if he could win it) as a strong platform for those policy impulses.

But today he’s announcing that he’s running for the state House in District 18, where he’s been living for years now despite representing District 42 in the state Legislature.

Mock hopes to fill the House seat being vacated by Rep. Eliot Glassheim, deeply respected long-time lawmaker who has struggled with health issues in recent years.

“While this campaign will feature my fight for ethics and voting reform, investments in communities and diverse economic growth, it’s about something larger than any one person,” Mock a press release about the move. “Our team will spend the next nine months, and hopefully the following four years, preserving the legacy of those who built North Dakota’s foundation while providing a vision for our future.”

By not running for statewide office Mock delivers the latest below to Democrat efforts to recruit statewide candidates which I wrote about earlier today.

Meanwhile, Republicans have two candidates for Auditor in former Bismarck Tribune publisher Brian Kroshus and Josh Gallion who currently works for the Public Service Commission.

So far, at least as measured by fundraising, Kroshus appears to be the front runner. “Auditor candidate Brian Kroshus had an ending balance of $98,006, of which $97,500 were from contributions over $200,” the Tribune reported of Kroshus’ first fundraising report, though $96,000 of that figure came from Kroshus himself and his campaign manager.

Gallion, on the other hand, reported just $1,957 in contributions.