Legislative and Regulatory Update

​Young North Dakota lawmakers from both parties formed the Future Caucus to collaborate on real issues like housing, healthcare, and jobs—putting solutions over politics.

By John Alexander, DakCU Director of Legislative & Regulatory Affairs

Young Lawmakers in North Dakota Just Did Something Wild: They Started Talking to Each Other
In a political era where red and blue often seem like oil and water, a group of young North Dakota lawmakers are flipping the script. Instead of sticking to their partisan corners, they’ve formed something called the North Dakota Future Caucus—a new, cross-party crew that’s all about working together, not tearing each other apart.

So, who’s in the mix? We’ve got Dawson Holle (a Republican from Mandan), Jayme Davis (a Democrat from Rolette), Claire Cory (Republican from Grand Forks), and Ryan Braunberger (Democrat from Fargo). These aren’t your typical Capitol crowd. They’re all under 45, part of a younger wave of leaders who are tired of watching good ideas die just because of who puts their name on the bill.

Here’s the deal: The Future Caucus isn’t about pretending differences don’t exist. It’s about showing up anyway and having real conversations. “Too often, we look at the party label before we even read the idea,” Holle said. “That’s backwards. Out in our communities, we help each other because it’s the right thing to do—not because we checked what party someone’s registered under.”

Jayme Davis backed that up with some honesty: “We agree more than people think. We just don’t have a dedicated space to sit down, cut the noise, and focus on making good policy for everyone in North Dakota. That’s what this is.”
Claire Cory admitted she and Braunberger don’t always see eye-to-eye, but even so, they’re committed to the same thing: building a bridge between people who usually don’t even meet on the same side of the river, much less crossing it. That kind of honesty is rare in politics—and refreshing.

And Braunberger? He’s made it clear that he’s not afraid to stand alone if it means standing up for what his constituents believe. Case in point: he was the only legislator who voted against a recent resolution asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse its ruling on same-sex marriage. “I want people to know where I stand,” he said, and he made sure they did.

Bottom line? The Future Caucus is less about slogans and more about substance. It’s not just a kumbaya club. It’s about young leaders rolling up their sleeves and getting to work—together—on the problems real North Dakotans are facing, from housing and healthcare to jobs and education. No grandstanding. No political theater. Just honest, hard conversations with one goal: doing what’s right, not what’s easy.

And if they can keep that spirit alive? This might just be the most hopeful thing to come out of Bismarck in a long time.

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