Anti-Trump Former Miss America Loses Republican Primary

Former Miss America-turned politician Cara Mund, who has been openly critical of Donald Trump, failed in her bid to secure the Republican congressional primary in North Dakota.

The pageant queen, who is also a Harvard law graduate, had criticized the former president and North Dakota's abortion policies. She lost the race to Julie Fedorchak, who received 46 percent of the votes for the state's 1st Congressional District. Mund came in third place with 19.6 percent.

Mund was crowned Miss America 2018 by Miss America 2017 Savvy Shields. In her political career, she has styled herself as an anti-Trump, pro-choice Republican candidate.

The former beauty queen has been outspoken in her criticism of the former president, especially in the wake of his felony conviction.

"Proud to be the ONLY ND Republican Candidate not worshiping a convicted felon during this election," Mund wrote in a post to X (formerly Twitter) after he was found guilty.

"I'll be the voice of ND, not Donald Trump. I'll be the leader who helps move the party back to law and order. I'll be on the right side of history," she added.

Trump was found guilty of 34 felony counts relating to hush-money payments made to adult-film star Stormy Daniels. A New York jury unanimously found that Trump had falsified business records, making him the first former U.S. president to receive a felony conviction.

Another of her posts read: "My opponents want to put women's healthcare in the hands of the government and care more about pleasing and promoting Trump than protecting democracy..."

Julie Fedorchak, who has served as Public Service Commissioner, received endorsements from Trump for her campaign, a fact she has touted more than once on her social media pages.

Newsweek has contacted Mund for comment.

In 2018, she released a 3,000-word letter criticizing the Miss America Organization.

"The rhetoric about empowering women, and openness and transparency, is great; however, the reality is quite different," it read. "I am living that difference....I am not comfortable with any of us being controlled, manipulated, silenced, or bullied. At this point, my integrity—and saying and doing the right thing—means more to me than whatever punishment may await me."

"It is disappointing that she chose to air her grievances publicly not privately," a statement in reply from the organization read.

"Her letter contains mischaracterizations and many unfounded accusations. We are reaching out to her privately to address her concerns."

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