BISMARCK – The North Dakota Republican Party has hired a recent staffer for U.S. Sen. John Hoeven and the North Dakota House GOP caucus as its new executive director.
Minneapolis native Roz Leighton graduated from North Dakota State University in May 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics.
She worked in Hoeven’s state office in Fargo as an intern and staff assistant from May 2013 to April 2014 and for the Home Builders Association of Fargo-Moorhead from April 2014 to January 2015.
Leighton was assistant to House Majority Leader Al Carlson, R-Fargo, and the House GOP caucus during the 2015 legislative session in Bismarck and has been working in Hoeven’s political office in Bismarck since the end of the session. She worked on several ballot measure campaigns during the most recent election cycle and on a get-out-the-vote effort in the Bakken oil region in 2012.
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"Roz was a great fit for this position based on her wealth of knowledge about North Dakota politics and her experience working with our local, state and federal elected officials," NDGOP Chairman Kelly Armstrong said in a news release.
Leighton, who turned 24 years old last week, said her goal is to mobilize the GOP’s volunteer base for what she said should be an interesting election cycle in 2016, with races for governor and U.S. House and Senate on the ballot.
“The North Dakota Republicans are some of the most dedicated people, and I think they truly have a passion for electing good and strong leaders,” she said.
Leighton replaces Jason Flohrs, who was hired as executive director in March 2013 and resigned June 19 to take over as the Minnesota state director for Americans for Prosperity.
