Two Republican incumbents, Scott Wagner and Carrie McLeod, are running in North Dakota’s contested State House District 45 race. The contest is part of the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
The candidates share the same party label and both enter the race as officeholders. That makes their individual records, priorities and campaign messages especially relevant to voters seeking differences between them. Neither candidate has documented policy positions in the race at this stage.
Scott Wagner
Scott Wagner is running as a Republican incumbent in House District 45. Wagner’s incumbency means voters will consider a candidate who already holds the office, although no biographical details or specific policy positions are attached to the candidacy.
No fundraising, spending or cash-on-hand amounts are listed for Wagner’s campaign. Those figures, if released during the election cycle, could help show the size and activity of the campaign, but they would not establish Wagner’s views on legislation or district issues.
Carrie McLeod
Carrie McLeod is running as a Republican incumbent in House District 45. McLeod’s incumbency also gives voters an officeholder to evaluate, although no biographical details or specific policy positions are attached to the candidacy.
No fundraising, spending or cash-on-hand amounts are listed for McLeod’s campaign. As with Wagner, future financial figures could provide information about campaign activity, but they would not explain McLeod’s legislative priorities or positions on district issues.
What makes the race contested
The District 45 race is contested because it includes more than one candidate. Wagner and McLeod are both Republicans and both incumbents, so party affiliation and incumbent status do not separate them.
There are also no documented policy positions for either candidate. Voters therefore do not yet have stated positions to compare on taxes, spending, education, public safety or any other policy area. Those subjects should not be attributed to either Wagner or McLeod unless the candidate takes a position during the campaign.
A contested race does not indicate which candidate has more support, and the shared party label does not mean the candidates hold identical views. It means District 45 voters have multiple named candidates in the State House contest. Candidate statements, public appearances and campaign materials may establish clearer differences as Election Day approaches.
Election date and next steps
The District 45 contest will appear in North Dakota’s 2026 general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The race is for the North Dakota State House and is separate from a party primary.
The main developments to watch are whether Wagner and McLeod state policy priorities, release biographical information or report campaign financial totals. Each development would give voters another way to compare two candidates who currently share the same party and incumbent designation.
