FARGO, N.D. — Newly appointed State Senator Jamie Selzer is stepping into his new role representing District 44, filling the legislative vacancy left by Mayor Josh Boschee as the North Dakota Legislature prepares for an upcoming special session.
Selzer, a resident of Roberts Street in Downtown Fargo, will represent roughly 17,000 residents across a compact, densely populated district that includes Downtown Fargo and North Fargo between NDSU and the Red River. He was selected by the district committee following Boschee’s resignation after Boschee was elected as the mayor of Fargo.
“When I went into the Senate chamber and I looked up and my name was on the board, I had this flash realization,” Selzer said during an interview on Rocky’s Downtown Hour. “Of the 700,000-plus North Dakotans, I’m one of 47 who has to be their voice. Seventeen thousand people are relying on me to speak for them. So I can’t go there and just be some partisan trying to score political points—not if I want to accomplish the things that they want to accomplish.”
Selzer’s tenure begins with an immediate dive into state business following Governor Kelly Armstrong’s call for a special legislative session. The session will focus on regulating and enforcing bans on Kratom—a substance linked to dozens of overdose deaths in the state—alongside potential discussions on military museum funding and school lunch programs.
Addressing the proposed ban, Selzer expressed a desire for a measured approach.
“When it comes to government action, we should be using a scalpel as opposed to a cleaver on this stuff,” Selzer noted, adding that he intends to speak directly with local shop managers and business owners before taking action. “I want to learn more about it, and I think the best way to do that is just to talk to the people on the ground.”
A former corporate executive with 20 years of experience at Amazon and Walmart E-Commerce, Selzer currently operates a personal training and coaching business in Fargo and serves on the Democratic National Committee for North Dakota. Despite his party leadership background, Selzer emphasizes a pragmatic, business-first approach to governance.
“I’m a capitalist, and I believe that if you can allow small business to thrive, then everything from there can be more successful,” Selzer said. “I view government essentially as a tool to help people in their daily lives, and that includes helping business grow.”
A major priority for Selzer heading into the legislature is tackling workforce shortages, particularly by expanding access to affordable childcare. Drawing from his years of managing thousands of employees, Selzer highlighted childcare as a primary barrier keeping residents out of the job market.
“If you go around and ask any business what’s the most important thing for you, they’re going to say, ‘I need workers,'” Selzer said. “And the most common reason people aren’t getting into the workforce is because they can’t take care of their kids and work at the same time.”
Succeeding Boschee—who served 14 years in the legislature—Selzer acknowledged the high bar set by his predecessor while committing to bringing a collaborative approach to Bismarck.
“Josh is universally respected. If you ask Republicans there who they respect, they’ll mention Josh because he’s a middle-of-the-road guy who is there to get stuff done,” Selzer said. “If I can be even half of the senator Josh was, at least in terms of how I’m respected, I think that’ll be considered a success for me.”
With the special session approaching and the full legislative session following in early 2027, Selzer says his main focus is building relationships across party lines and listening to his community.
“My mom taught me a great lesson, which is you learn more by listening than by talking,” Selzer said. “I really intend to listen as much as I can to voices—especially voices that are different than mine.”
