Kelly Armstrong facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kelly Armstrong
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Official portrait, 2018
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| 34th Governor of North Dakota | |
| Assumed office December 15, 2024 |
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| Lieutenant | Michelle Strinden |
| Preceded by | Doug Burgum |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Dakota's at-large district |
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| In office January 3, 2019 – December 14, 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Kevin Cramer |
| Succeeded by | Julie Fedorchak |
| Chair of the North Dakota Republican Party | |
| In office June 6, 2015 – February 20, 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Robert Harms |
| Succeeded by | Jim Poolman (acting) |
| Member of the North Dakota Senate from the 36th district |
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| In office December 1, 2012 – November 8, 2018 |
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| Preceded by | George Nodland |
| Succeeded by | Jay Elkin |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Kelly Michael Armstrong
October 8, 1976 Dickinson, North Dakota, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Kjersti Høiby
(m. 2004) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of North Dakota (BA, JD) |
Kelly Michael Armstrong (born October 8, 1976) is an American lawyer and politician. Since December 2024, he has been the 34th governor of North Dakota. He is a member of the Republican Party. Before becoming governor, he served as a U.S. representative for North Dakota's at-large congressional district from 2019 to 2024.
Kelly Armstrong grew up in North Dakota. He was a state senator for North Dakota from 2012 to 2018. He also led the North Dakota Republican Party from 2015 to 2018. In January 2024, he decided to run for governor instead of seeking reelection to the U.S. House. He won the election in November 2024.
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Early Life and Education
Kelly Michael Armstrong was born on October 8, 1976. He finished high school at Dickinson High School in 1995. He then went to the University of North Dakota. In 2001, he earned a degree in psychology. He continued his studies and received a law degree in 2003 from the University of North Dakota School of Law. He was also part of the Sigma Chi fraternity.
Career Highlights
Before he was elected to Congress, Kelly Armstrong worked as a lawyer. He was a partner at a law firm called Reichert Armstrong. This firm had offices in Grand Forks and Dickinson. He also served as the vice president of Armstrong Corp.
From 2013 to 2018, Armstrong was a state senator for North Dakota's 36th district. During this time, he also served as the chairman of the North Dakota Republican Party from 2015 to 2018.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Becoming a U.S. Representative
In February 2018, Kelly Armstrong announced he would run for the United States House of Representatives. The North Dakota Republican Party supported him. He won the election in November 2018 with 60.2% of the votes. He started his term in Congress in January 2019. He took over the seat from Kevin Cramer, who was elected to the United States Senate.
Armstrong was reelected to the U.S. House in 2020 and 2022.
Key Actions in Congress
Kelly Armstrong was part of a group of Republicans who did not support efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 United States presidential election. They believed Congress did not have the power to change the election outcome.
In July 2022, Armstrong voted for the Respect for Marriage Act. This law helps protect the right to marriage for all people under federal law. He was one of 47 Republicans who supported this bill.
He also voted for the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022. This law aims to stop large companies from acting unfairly against smaller businesses. In December 2023, Armstrong voted to remove George Santos from Congress. This happened after a House ethics committee found that Santos had broken federal law.
On December 14, 2024, Armstrong resigned from Congress. He did this to become the governor of North Dakota the next day.
Committees and Groups
While in Congress, Kelly Armstrong was part of several important committees and groups:
- Committee on Energy and Commerce (Vice Chair)
- Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security
- Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce
- Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
- Committee on the Judiciary
- Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties
- Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship
- Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law
- Judiciary Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government
He was also a member of various caucuses, which are groups of lawmakers who share common interests. These included the Republican Governance Group, Friends of Norway Caucus, and the Fire Services Caucus.
Governor of North Dakota (2024–Present)
Running for Governor in 2024
On January 23, 2024, Kelly Armstrong announced he would run for governor of North Dakota. The previous governor, Doug Burgum, decided not to run again. Armstrong said he would focus on lowering taxes, reducing rules, and improving the state's workforce.
He won the Republican primary election. He then chose state representative Michelle Strinden to be his running mate. Armstrong won the general election in November 2024 with 68.3% of the vote.
First Actions as Governor
Kelly Armstrong and Michelle Strinden officially became governor and lieutenant governor on December 15, 2024. One of Governor Armstrong's first actions was to appoint Jill Kringstad to the North Dakota Public Service Commission. This filled a seat left open by his successor in Congress, Julie Fedorchak.
Armstrong proposed a plan to get rid of property taxes in North Dakota. This plan would use money from the North Dakota Legacy Fund to help cover the cost of property taxes for homes. It also included more tax credits for seniors and people with disabilities. He signed parts of this plan into law in February and May 2025.
In April 2025, Governor Armstrong met with leaders of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. They discussed federal funding and ways to help the economy. Later that month, he vetoed two bills. One bill would have forced public libraries to remove certain content. The other would have created special accounts for private school students. Armstrong explained that he wanted libraries to have a wide range of books available.
In June 2025, Armstrong declared a state of emergency after several tornadoes hit the state. He started recovery efforts, especially in Enderlin, North Dakota, which was severely damaged.
Political Views
Laws About Personal Choices
Kelly Armstrong supports laws that limit certain personal choices. He has stated his support for the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision that changed previous laws on this topic. However, he does not support a federal ban on these choices.
Election Fairness
Armstrong was one of seven Republicans who did not support efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election. He believed Congress did not have the power to change the election outcome. He has also been critical of ideas to count all ballots by hand, saying it would be less accurate.
Gun Rights
Armstrong generally does not support most new gun control laws. He has said he would not support a ban on certain gun parts. He is also an enthusiastic hunter.
Healthcare
In April 2025, Governor Armstrong signed a law that caps the price of insulin at $25 per month in North Dakota.
LGBT Rights
In 2022, Armstrong was one of 47 Republicans who voted for the Respect for Marriage Act. This law helps protect the right to marriage for all people under federal law.
He believes there is a difference between gender identity and biology. He does not support transgender students playing on sports teams that match their gender identity. However, he has also said, "Dress however you want. Be who you want to be. This country is a fantastic, weird place, and I think it is great." In 2025, he signed a law that reinforces North Dakota's ban on gender-neutral bathrooms in K-12 schools. It also requires schools to inform parents if a child identifies as transgender.
Taxes
Besides his property tax reform plan, Armstrong was against a ballot measure in 2024. This measure would have removed the power of state and local governments to collect property taxes. He also vetoed a bill in March 2025 that would have created a tax credit for prison labor. He felt it did not benefit the state's economy enough.
Personal Life
Kelly Armstrong met his wife, Kjersti, at the University of North Dakota. Kjersti is from Norway. They got married in 2004 and have two children. Kjersti became a dual U.S. citizen in 2021.
Armstrong enjoys baseball. He has played and coached the sport. His special event when he became governor was even themed around baseball.
Images for kids
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Official portrait, 2018
See also
In Spanish: Kelly Armstrong para niños
