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Heitkamp to Join Trump on Air Force One for Tax Reform Speech

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D., N.D.) / AP
September 5, 2017

Both of North Dakota's senators will fly with President Donald Trump on Air Force One Wednesday for his tax reform push in their state, including Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp.

"We've always said that we're interested in tax reform," Heitkamp told NBC News, adding she was "curious" what the plan will look like.

"If Democrats continue their obstruction, if they don’t want to bring back your jobs, raise your pay and help America win, voters should deliver a clear message: do your job to deliver for America, or find a new job," Trump is expected to say in Mandan, North Dakota, according to an early excerpt of the speech.

Trump made a similar pitch a week earlier in Springfield, Missouri, where he sent a warning to Sen. Claire McCaskill (D., Mo.).

"If she doesn't do it for you," Trump said, "you have to vote her out office."

Heitkamp was one of three Senate Democrats who declined to sign a letter to GOP leaders demanding Republicans abstain from using the party-line budget reconciliation procedure for tax reform.

The other two are Sens. Joe Donnelly (Ind.) and Joe Manchin (W.Va.).

Asked Tuesday if she felt the White House was trying to strong-arm her into supporting Trump's tax reform plan by heading to her state, Heitkamp replied, "Yeah, well, welcome to North Dakota."