Luke Simons
Luke Simons is a former Republican member of the North Dakota House of Representatives, representing District 36 from 2016 to 2021. The House of Representatives expelled Simons from office on March 4, 2021, by a vote of 69-25.[1]
Committee assignments
2019-2020
Simons was assigned to the following committees:
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| North Dakota committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Judiciary |
| • Political Subdivisions |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2020
See also: North Dakota House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for North Dakota House of Representatives District 36 (2 seats)
Incumbent Mike Schatz and incumbent Luke Simons defeated Linda Weiss, Steve Krebs, and Rebecca Ferderer in the general election for North Dakota House of Representatives District 36 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Mike Schatz (R) | 41.6 | 6,748 |
| ✔ |  | Luke Simons (R) | 38.6 | 6,273 |
| Linda Weiss (D) | 6.9 | 1,128 | ||
| Steve Krebs (D) | 6.7 | 1,093 | ||
| Rebecca Ferderer (Independent) | 6.0 | 971 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 25 | ||
| Total votes: 16,238 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for North Dakota House of Representatives District 36 (2 seats)
Linda Weiss and Steve Krebs advanced from the Democratic primary for North Dakota House of Representatives District 36 on June 9, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Linda Weiss | 53.3 | 368 | |
| ✔ | Steve Krebs | 46.7 | 322 | |
| Total votes: 690 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for North Dakota House of Representatives District 36 (2 seats)
Incumbent Mike Schatz and incumbent Luke Simons advanced from the Republican primary for North Dakota House of Representatives District 36 on June 9, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mike Schatz | 54.9 | 2,808 |
| ✔ | | Luke Simons | 44.3 | 2,264 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.8 | 41 | ||
| Total votes: 5,113 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2016
Elections for the North Dakota House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on June 14, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was April 11, 2016.
Incumbent Mike Schatz and Luke Simons defeated Linda Kittilson and Dean Meyer in the North Dakota House of Representatives District 36 general election.[2][3]
| North Dakota House of Representatives, District 36 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Mike Schatz Incumbent |
39.77% | 5,318 | |
| Republican | Luke Simons |
39.17% | 5,238 | |
| Democratic | Linda Kittilson | 9.69% | 1,296 | |
| Democratic | Dean Meyer | 11.36% | 1,519 | |
| Total Votes | 13,371 | |||
| Source: North Dakota Secretary of State | ||||
Linda Kittilson and Dean Meyer were unopposed in the North Dakota House of Representatives District 36 Democratic primary.[4][5]
| North Dakota House of Representatives, District 36 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Linda Kittilson | |
| Democratic | Dean Meyer | |
Incumbent Mike Schatz and Luke Simons defeated incumbent Alan Fehr in the North Dakota House of Representatives District 36 Republican primary.[4][5]
| North Dakota House of Representatives, District 36 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Mike Schatz Incumbent |
37.49% | 1,845 | |
| Republican | Luke Simons |
37.68% | 1,854 | |
| Republican | Alan Fehr Incumbent | 24.83% | 1,222 | |
| Total Votes | 4,921 | |||
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Luke Simons did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2016
Simons' campaign website highlighted the following issues:[6]
State spending and priorities
- Excerpt: "In the next biennium, we’re going to be inheriting a serious budget shortfall. We must reject the trend of excessive spending during the boom years, while ensuring our constitutional obligations and needed infrastructure are prioritized."
Taxes
- Excerpt: "I will not raise taxes on families who are already struggling in this environment of dropping commodity prices. We must cap out of control property taxes."
Education
- Excerpt: "Our state Constitution obligates us to provide for quality K-12 & Higher education. I will help to maintain an atmosphere that empowers parents and teachers with the tools they need to give their children the best education possible."
Land and property rights'
- Excerpt: "As a rancher, I understand the value and love of our beautiful lands. I will remain steadfastly committed to protecting private property rights, whether from a company taking advantage of favorable regulations against a landowner or a state agency run amok."
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of North Dakota scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2021
In 2021, the North Dakota State Legislature was in session from January 5 to April 29.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on bills related to family issues.
- Greater North Dakota Chamber (via Votesmart)
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the North Dakota State Legislature was not in session. |
2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the North Dakota Legislative Assembly was in session from January 3 through April 26.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the North Dakota Legislative Assembly did not hold a regular session. |
2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the 65th North Dakota Legislative Assembly was in session from January 3 through April 27.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the North Dakota Legislative Assembly did not hold a regular session. |
Noteworthy events
Expelled from North Dakota House of Representatives (2021)
The North Dakota House of Representatives expelled Rep. Luke Simons on March 4 by a vote of 69-25. The resolution to expel Simons stated that he had “exhibited a history of hostile, threatening, and inappropriate behavior, most frequently toward women”. This was the first time in the state’s history that a lawmaker has been expelled.[1]
Majority Leader Chet Pollert (R) and Minority Leader Joshua Boschee (D) co-sponsored the resolution to expel Simons. Pollert said, “There is only one way to make this behavior stop and that is to expel Rep. Simons from this House.”[1]
Rep. Rick Becker (R) attempted to amend the resolution to censure Simons instead. The amendment failed by a vote 66-28.[7]
In a statement issued by Rep. Simons, he said, "Although I understand that misunderstandings often result from different perceptions to what may be said by me in my meetings at the Legislative Council, I am shocked and disheartened that my words were interpreted incorrectly."[8]
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 AP News, "North Dakota House expels lawmaker accused of misconduct," March 5, 2021
- ↑ North Dakota Secretary of State, "2016 General Election Contest/Candidate List," accessed August 21, 2016
- ↑ North Dakota Secretary of State, "Official Results General Election - November 8, 2016," accessed November 28, 2016
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 North Dakota Secretary of State, "2016 Primary Election Contest/Candidate List," accessed April 13, 2016
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 North Dakota Secretary of State, "Official Results Primary Election - June 14, 2016," accessed August 2, 2016
- ↑ Simons for House, "Issues," accessed September 29, 2016
- ↑ North Dakota Legislative Branch, "View Roll Call," March 4, 2021
- ↑ KFYRTV.com, "Rep. Simons releases statement night before lawmakers begin censure process," March 3, 2021
