The first two District 15 legislative candidates have responded to Louise’s request for an interview. Corry and Kristin Kenner were the first to call in and set up an appointment with me at the Devils Lake Journal. I sat down with them at 2:15 p.m. on Friday, May 15 to hear what they had to say about themselves and their desires to serve District 15 and the State of North Dakota as elected officials.
Devils Lake residents Corry and Kristin Kenner, a husband-and-wife team, are Republican candidates for the North Dakota State Legislature representing District 15. Kristin is running for the State Senate and Corry is running for the State House of Representatives. If elected, the Kenners would make history as the first husband and wife to serve simultaneously in the North Dakota State Legislature.
I started my conversation with Kristin, a 1976 graduate from Devils Lake Central High School, who became a dentist and ran her own practice here for 40 years before retiring.
Kristin understands how to work through the legislative process. As the first woman president of the North Dakota Dental Association, she was an active advocate for the dental profession at the state capitol and an ardent supporter of access for the underserved. Kristin has also been a delegate to the ND GOP State Convention and hosted fundraisers to support candidates.
“Both Corry and I love North Dakota. Our roots date back to the Dakota Territory, and this community is not just where we live—it’s home,” stated Kristin. “We have always been in public service through our professions and very involved through committees and boards. We are good listeners and responsive to people’s needs. Neither of us has a personal agenda, which is why District 15 can count on us to represent them in Bismarck.”
I then brought Corry, a 1975 graduate of Devils Lake Central High School, into the conversation.
Corry brings extensive experience from his 38-year career as a CPA and the VP for Administrative Services at Lake Region State College. He understands the legislative process as his leadership role in higher education included regular appearances before state appropriations committees. Corry has also been a delegate to the ND GOP State Convention. “I hope to be appointed to the Appropriations Committee. My experience developing large, complex budgets and an intimate understanding of one of the largest budgets in ND will be an asset to the Committee,” Corry stated.
“Our professions didn’t allow us to be absent from our responsibilities, and now that we are retired, that opportunity is here,” said Corry Kenner. “We can now give 100% to the job if elected, to keep North Dakota a great place to live, work, and raise a family.”
Many voters are disillusioned by the polarization in politics. Corry and Kristin are traditional Republicans and aim to help restore balance to the North Dakota Republican Party by embracing the values that are closely tied to the U.S. and ND Constitutions. They both feel that the people of District 15 are not currently being represented well. “We’ve visited with hundreds of people and many in our district don’t even know who represents them in Bismarck. Many others believe our legislators are more interested in pushing their own priorities than listening to their constituents,” Kristin explained.
“Our broad backgrounds, from agriculture to healthcare to education, will serve all constituents of District 15 very well,” Corry added, “The encouragement and support we’ve received from District 15 residents has been overwhelming! We encourage every eligible voter to vote in the June 9th Primary. There is certainly a lot at stake for them.”
The Kenners have a campaign website, Kenner15.com, with links to their individual websites (KennerForSenate.com and KennerForHouse.com) to provide more information about their backgrounds, priorities, and plans for representing constituents along with the opportunity to make online donations.
School Board Election
The following residents have filed to run for the DLPS school board: 3-Year Terms – Emily Foss, Nathan Kraft and Cory Meyer have filed to run for the two positions available. For the one-year term – fulfilling one unexpired term: Andrew Sogge has filed to run for that position.
The school board election will be held on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. at the Memorial Building.
A reminder:
If you are running for office in 2026 we would like to know a little about you and why you think you would be the best candidate for voters to choose in the next local election.
Contact [email protected] with your contact information – telephone number and best time to call – and I will call, do an interview in person and get you to submit a photo of yourself or take one when I interview you so we can run a story about the people on all levels who are running for office. I do prefer to meet you face to face to do the interview.
My cell number is 701-230-2651.
We all want to be informed voters! This is your chance to get a little “free” advertising from us at the Devils Lake Journal before the election.
Thank you in advance for helping us get the word out about who is running and why you’re running! (This part was first published on the front page of the Devils Lake Journal, May 14, 2026.)
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