FARGO—Republican Rep. Shannon Roers Jones, R-Dis. 46, announced today that she will seek election to the office of mayor in her home city.
A Fargo native, Rep. Roers Jones works as an attorney in the family business, Roers Construction. She has served in the North Dakota House of Representatives since 2017.
“We have planted our roots in Fargo,” said Rep. Roers Jones. “Fargo is where I’ve raised my family and built my career.”
“Serving in the legislature, I had the ability to do some great work on some areas I care about, like criminal justice reform and economic development.” Shannon Roers Jones, Fargo mayoral candidate
Her desire to run for mayor stems from her varied experiences. “I have had a lot of great opportunities,” she said. “Serving in the legislature, I had the ability to do some great work on some areas I care about, like criminal justice reform and economic development,” added Rep. Roers Jones.
She continued, “I think there are a lot of opportunities to translate those skills to the city level. My business experience, my legal background, and my experience in the legislature.”
Rep. Roers Jones said this candidacy isn’t some part of long-standing plan and she doesn’t view it as a stepping stone of any sort. In fact, she just started contemplating the idea within the last year.
“I think there are opportunities that are being missed at the city level,” she said. “We have a lot of opportunity to improve the community and make it a great place to live, work, and raise a family.”
District 46 legislative seats are not up for election again until 2024, and the North Dakota Constitution does allow legislators to hold local offices while they serve in the legislature. When asked if she thought doing both was possible, Rep. Roers Jones said, “Right now my focus is on running for mayor. That’s the position where I feel I can be the most impactful.”
Rep. Roers Jones holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from the College of St. Benedict, an MBA from the University of St. Thomas, and she earned her J.D. from the University of North Dakota.
With her announcement, Rep. Roers Jones joins incumbent Tim Mahoney and City Commissioner Arlette Preston as mayoral candidates. The race may get even more crowded before long.
For more information on Rep. Roers Jones candidacy, see her campaign site, shannonroersjones.com.
