Joshua Boschee

Josh Boschee
Mayor of Fargo
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 6, 2026
Preceded byTim Mahoney
Member of the North Dakota Senate
from the 44th district
In office
December 1, 2024 – August 4, 2026
Preceded byMerrill Piepkorn
Succeeded byJamie Selzler
Minority Leader of the North Dakota House of Representatives
In office
December 3, 2018 – April 30, 2023
Preceded byCorey Mock
Succeeded byZac Ista
Member of the North Dakota House of Representatives
from the 44th district
In office
December 1, 2012 – December 1, 2024
Preceded byDon Clark
Succeeded byAustin Foss
Personal details
Born (1982-05-24) May 24, 1982 (age 44)
Minot, North Dakota, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
EducationNorth Dakota State University (BA, MEd)

Joshua A. Boschee is an American politician who is currently the mayor of Fargo, North Dakota. He previously served in the North Dakota Senate from 2024 to 2026 and the North Dakota House of Representatives from 2012 to 2024. A member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, he represented the 44th District in the legislature. While in the House he served alongside Karla Rose Hanson in a dual-member district.

He is the first openly gay candidate ever elected to the state legislature in North Dakota. His campaign was opposed by a series of attack ads alleging that he was promoting a "gay agenda," which were revealed to have been funded by Virginia politician and anti-LGBT activist Eugene Delgaudio through his group Public Advocate of the United States.

Originally from Minot, Boschee currently resides in Fargo, and was an employee of Minnesota State University Moorhead at the time of his election.

Boschee declared his candidacy for Mayor of Fargo in January 2026. He was elected mayor on June 9, 2026, defeating five other candidates. Boschee received 46.7% of the vote, nearly twenty points ahead of the Michelle Turnberg, who received the second-highest number of votes. He is the first full-time mayor of the city.

Boschee resigned his senate seat on August 4, 2026, citing the need for a replacement to be appointed for an upcoming special session of the legislature.

References

  1. 1 2 "ND Elects First Openly Gay State Legislator". Archived from the original on December 11, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Check Here for Updates on LGBT Races to Watch | Advocate.com". www.advocate.com. Retrieved July 15, 2026.
  3. ↑ Achterling, Michael (January 6, 2026). "State Sen. Josh Boschee launches campaign for Fargo mayor". North Dakota Monitor. Retrieved April 12, 2026.
  4. ↑ Baumgarten, April (June 10, 2026). "Fargo bets on Boschee: State senator elected mayor". InForum. Retrieved July 15, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Fargo, ND Mayor Election Live Results 2026". AP News. June 9, 2026. Retrieved July 15, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Josh Boschee wins Fargo mayoral race". WDAY Radio - AM 970 and FM 93.1. Retrieved July 15, 2026.
  7. ↑ Ratanpal, Harshawn (June 10, 2026). "North Dakota Sen. Josh Boschee elected mayor of Fargo". Minnesota Public Radio News. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  8. ↑ Port, Rob (July 9, 2026). "Port: Mayor Boschee's legislative resignation will come after deadline for voters to elect his replacement". InForum. Retrieved July 15, 2026.
  9. ↑ Port, Rob (August 3, 2026). "Port: Fargo Mayor Josh Boschee resigns from state Senate citing just-announced special session". InForum. Retrieved August 4, 2026.