Kirsten Baesler speaks to delegates during the 2024 NDGOP Convention at the Sanford Athletic Complex in Fargo on April 5, 2024. Baesler will advance to the November election. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler will defend her seat in November, but her opponent was not yet clear late Tuesday. 

Baesler, who has been superintendent since 2013, had more than 55% of the vote with about 98% of precincts reporting. Challengers Jason Heitkamp (22.1%) and Jim Bartlett (19.7%) trailed. 

Darko Draganic was running a distant fourth. 

In her campaign, Baesler has mostly emphasized her track record as superintendent. The Mandan resident has highlighted the creation of a teacher apprenticeship program, reducing the size of the Department of Public Instruction, and creating an online school funding dashboard as some of her accomplishments in the position.

In a Tuesday statement, Baesler said she is “committed to working hard” for her supporters to win in November.

“Our students, families and teachers deserve nothing less,” she said.

Superintendent of public instruction is a nonpartisan position, though candidates sometimes seek letters of endorsement from political parties.

This is the first election cycle Baesler is running for the four-year office without official support from the North Dakota Republican Party.

In April, delegates to the NDGOP state convention voted overwhelmingly to back Bartlett, a former engineering instructor and homeschool advocate, instead. The Bottineau resident campaigned on a far-right, faith-heavy platform, promising to integrate Christian values into the public school system.

Heitkamp served as a Republican in the state Senate from 2021-22. He did not seek letters of endorsement from either party. Heitkamp, a resident of Wyndmere, is putting property tax reform at the center of his campaign, and said he wants public schools to be entirely funded by state money as opposed to local taxes.

Draganic, of Bismarck, is a former higher ed administrator. He said in a January interview with the North Dakota Monitor that he seeks to address issues like graduation rates, teacher pay and college readiness.

Baesler and the second place candidate will advance to the general election.

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