Former longtime North Dakota legislator dies of COVID-19

A former North Dakota legislator who once was the Republican Party’s nominee for lieutenant governor and U.S. Senate has died.

According to her obituary, Donna Nalewaja, died Sept. 30 from COVID-19 at the age of 81.

Nalewaja served in the state House from 1983 to 1986 and in the state Senate from 1987 to 1998.

She was the running mate of Leon Mallberg on the Republican gubernatorial ticket in 1988, losing to Democrats George Sinner and Lloyd Omdahl.

Nalewaja also ran unsuccessfully against Democrat Byron Dorgan for U.S. Senate in 1998, after which she left politics.