State Representative District 27 in North Dakota State House District 27, North Dakota

2026 Primary Election

• Grant Allex — Candidate for State Representative in ND

  Grant Allex is a Republican candidate running for election to the North Dakota House of Representatives, representing District 27. He is seeking one of two seats in the Republican primary scheduled for June 9, 2026. Allex is campaigning against incumbent Greg Stemen and fellow Republican Shawn Kessel. There are currently no Democratic candidates who have filed for the District 27 primary election.

• Shawn Kessel — Director of Business Development in Fargo, ND

  Shawn Kessel is a Republican candidate for the North Dakota House of Representatives, District 27, in the 2026 Primary Election. He brings over two decades of public and private sector experience, having served as a city administrator and in leadership roles at the North Dakota Department of Commerce. Kessel currently works in business development and is an investor in real estate and restaurants. Advocating for strong conservative values, he seeks to guide smart growth, expand economic opportunity, and ensure access to affordable housing, childcare, and vital infrastructure for District 27 families. His platform includes delivering practical solutions to lower the cost of living and ease the tax burden, promising integrity and results.

• Greg Stemen — Incumbent State Representative and Business Banking Officer in Fargo, ND

  Greg Stemen is an incumbent North Dakota State Representative for District 27, serving since December 2020. A Republican, he brings a diverse background to his legislative role. Professionally, he is a Business Banking Officer and VP for Starion Bank. Stemen grew up on a farm in Dickey, ND, and earned a BS in Mathematics Education from Valley City State University, later an MS in Educational Leadership from Southwest Minnesota State University. Before his career in banking and finance, he had a distinguished career in college basketball coaching, including head coaching roles at NDSCS and Southwest Minnesota State University, where he became the winningest coach in the program's history. He is also a broadcast analyst for college basketball games and a board member for Homeward Animal Shelter.