Reed Johnson

Background

The Grand Forks Herald identifies Johnson as a lawyer and a Republican candidate for a District 17 House seat in the November 3, 2026 election.

Sources: Grand Forks Herald — 2026 candidate survey, Grand Forks Herald — 2026 candidate coverage

What the candidate has said

Statements are attributed to the linked sources.

• Data centers

  Johnson said data-center proposals should protect residents, maintain grid reliability, pay their infrastructure and power costs, and contribute substantially to property taxes; he said local governments should decide on permitting with state-provided information and assistance.

  Grand Forks Herald — 2026 candidate survey

• Housing and childcare

  He said affordable housing and childcare should be priorities, citing property taxes and special assessments as housing costs to address, and regulatory relief for in-home childcare providers and support for commercial-provider credits and incentives.

  Grand Forks Herald — 2026 candidate survey

• Teacher retention

  Johnson suggested freezing and later forgiving certain Bank of North Dakota student loans for teachers who earn degrees in the state university system and commit to teaching in North Dakota, as a way to support teacher recruitment and retention.

  Grand Forks Herald — 2026 candidate forum coverage