United States Senate election in North Dakota, 2010
Encyclopedia
The 2010 United States Senate election in North Dakota took place on November 2, 2010 alongside other elections to the United States Senate
in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives
and various state and local elections. Incumbent
Democratic
U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan
announced in January 2010 that he would not seek re-election. Republican
Governor John Hoeven
won the open seat.
conducted a hypothetical matchup of Governor John Hoeven
against the incumbent. Hoeven led by a large margin, 58% to Dorgan's 36%. It should be noted that 61% of the state still had a favorable view of Dorgan, and if pitted against State Senator Duane Sand
, the incumbent led 52% to 37%.
Several prominent members of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party expressed an interest in the U.S. Senate race once Senator Dorgan announced that he would not run again. Among those people were Joel Heitkamp
, a former North Dakota state senator and current radio talk show host of News and Views
on KFGO
Radio in Fargo, N.D. His sister, former North Dakota Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp
of Bismarck, N.D., also considered running, but declined to enter the race as well.
Others who had indicated an interest in the race were businesswoman Kristin Hedger
and national progressive talk show host Ed Schultz
. Hedger was the Democratic candidate for North Dakota Secretary of State
in the 2006 general election, which she lost to the incumbent, Republican Alvin Jaeger.
While flattered to have been asked, Schultz said he had to decline in that he would have been forced to give up his nightly television program on MSNBC
The Ed Show
as well as his daily progressive national radio show, The Ed Schultz Show
, in order to run.
Also, Federal Communications Commission
regulations decree that equal and free air time would have had to be given to whomever Schultz's opponents would have been in the election in order to allow them to respond to anything that Schultz would have said about them on his programs.
of Bismarck
. Potter received the endorsement of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party at its state convention on March 27, 2010. Governor Hoeven and Senator Potter advanced to the November 2, 2010 general election following balloting in North Dakota's primary election, which was held on June 8, 2010. Neither candidate faced any significant opposition in the primary election.
Aggregate polling indicates that Hoeven has large leads against Potter. Hoeven is enormously popular and enjoys instant name recognition throughout the state of North Dakota. Hoeven was elected to an unprecedented third consecutive four-year term as governor in November, 2008. Hoeven's election this year to the U.S. Senate appeared to be all but a sure thing even before the campaign officially started. The immensely popular Hoeven enjoyed double-digit leads in opinion polling relative to the U.S. Senate race since earlier this year.
John Hoeven will be sworn into the U.S. Senate along with the other senators-elect on January 3, 2011.
Official campaign websites
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
and various state and local elections. Incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan
Byron Dorgan
Byron Leslie Dorgan is a former United States Senator from North Dakota and is now a senior policy advisor for a Washington, DC law firm. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party. In the Senate, he was Chairman of the Democratic...
announced in January 2010 that he would not seek re-election. Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Governor John Hoeven
John Hoeven
John Henry Hoeven III is the junior United States Senator from North Dakota. He is a member of the North Dakota Republican Party. He is expected to become the state's senior senator when Kent Conrad retires from the Senate in January 2013.Hoeven served as the 31st Governor of North Dakota,...
won the open seat.
Background
Incumbent Byron Dorgan never had a difficult time getting elected, as he obtained 59%, 63%, and 68% in his three senate election bids, respectively. However, in December 2009, Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports
Rasmussen Reports is an American media company that publishes and distributes information based on public opinion polling. Founded by pollster Scott Rasmussen in 2003, the company updates daily indexes including the President's job approval rating, and provides public opinion data, analysis, and...
conducted a hypothetical matchup of Governor John Hoeven
John Hoeven
John Henry Hoeven III is the junior United States Senator from North Dakota. He is a member of the North Dakota Republican Party. He is expected to become the state's senior senator when Kent Conrad retires from the Senate in January 2013.Hoeven served as the 31st Governor of North Dakota,...
against the incumbent. Hoeven led by a large margin, 58% to Dorgan's 36%. It should be noted that 61% of the state still had a favorable view of Dorgan, and if pitted against State Senator Duane Sand
Duane Sand
Duane Sand is a North Dakota politician, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, and a U.S. Navy officer during the Iraq War. Sand ran for the United States Senate in North Dakota on the Republican ticket in 2000 against incumbent Kent Conrad of the Democratic-Nonpartisan League, and was...
, the incumbent led 52% to 37%.
Several prominent members of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party expressed an interest in the U.S. Senate race once Senator Dorgan announced that he would not run again. Among those people were Joel Heitkamp
Joel Heitkamp
Joel C. Heitkamp is a former North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party member of the North Dakota Senate, representing the 26th district from 1994 to 2008.Heitkamp is also a talk show host...
, a former North Dakota state senator and current radio talk show host of News and Views
News and Views
News and Views is a talk radio program produced by KFGO in Fargo, North Dakota and also aired on stations KFYR-AM in Bismarck, ND and KCJB-AM in Minot, ND.News and Views runs weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m...
on KFGO
KFGO
KFGO is a radio station broadcasting a news and talk radio format serving the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by Radio Fargo-Moorhead, Inc. All the offices and studios are located at 1020 S. 25th Street in Fargo...
Radio in Fargo, N.D. His sister, former North Dakota Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp
Heidi Heitkamp
Heidi Heitkamp is a lawyer and politician from the U.S. state of North Dakota. She served as the 28th attorney general of the state from 1993 to 2001. She ran on the Democratic-NPL ticket for governor in 2000, losing to John Hoeven. She was considering a bid for the Democratic nomination for the...
of Bismarck, N.D., also considered running, but declined to enter the race as well.
Others who had indicated an interest in the race were businesswoman Kristin Hedger
Kristin Hedger
Kristin Hedger is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party and presently is the vice president of her family's business in Killdeer, N.D. Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing. http://www.kmmnet.com/...
and national progressive talk show host Ed Schultz
Ed Schultz
Edward Andrew "Ed" Schultz Is an American television and radio host and a liberal political commentator . He is the host of The Ed Show, a daily news talk program on MSNBC, and The Ed Schultz Show, a talk radio show, nationally syndicated by Dial Global, promising "straight talk."-Early...
. Hedger was the Democratic candidate for North Dakota Secretary of State
North Dakota Secretary of State
The North Dakota Secretary of State is an elected office in the U.S. state of North Dakota. The current Secretary of State is Alvin Jaeger. The general duties of the Secretary of State include being the custodian of the state's Great Seal and other official state documents, recording the official...
in the 2006 general election, which she lost to the incumbent, Republican Alvin Jaeger.
While flattered to have been asked, Schultz said he had to decline in that he would have been forced to give up his nightly television program on MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
The Ed Show
The Ed Show
The Ed Show is an hour-long weeknight news commentary program on MSNBC. The program is hosted by Ed Schultz, who hosts the nationally syndicated radio program, The Ed Schultz Show. It debuted on MSNBC on April 6, 2009, at 6 P.M. ET. It moved to 10 P.M. ET, filling the time slot previously...
as well as his daily progressive national radio show, The Ed Schultz Show
The Ed Schultz Show
The Ed Schultz Show is a radio program hosted by Ed Schultz. It was formerly broadcast from KFGO in Fargo, North Dakota. It is heard on a network of over 100 stations , including seven of the 10 largest radio markets...
, in order to run.
Also, Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
regulations decree that equal and free air time would have had to be given to whomever Schultz's opponents would have been in the election in order to allow them to respond to anything that Schultz would have said about them on his programs.
Results
Results
Results
Candidates
- Keith Hanson (L), engineer
- John HoevenJohn HoevenJohn Henry Hoeven III is the junior United States Senator from North Dakota. He is a member of the North Dakota Republican Party. He is expected to become the state's senior senator when Kent Conrad retires from the Senate in January 2013.Hoeven served as the 31st Governor of North Dakota,...
(R), Governor - Tracy PotterTracy PotterTracy Potter is a North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party member of the North Dakota Senate. He has represented the 35th district since 2007 and was the endorsed candidate for U.S. Senate in the 2010 election against Governor John Hoeven....
(D), State Senator
Campaign
Hoeven was challenged in the race by North Dakota State Senator Tracy PotterTracy Potter
Tracy Potter is a North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party member of the North Dakota Senate. He has represented the 35th district since 2007 and was the endorsed candidate for U.S. Senate in the 2010 election against Governor John Hoeven....
of Bismarck
Bismarck, North Dakota
Bismarck is the capital of the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Burleigh County. It is the second most populous city in North Dakota after Fargo. The city's population was 61,272 at the 2010 census, while its metropolitan population was 108,779...
. Potter received the endorsement of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party at its state convention on March 27, 2010. Governor Hoeven and Senator Potter advanced to the November 2, 2010 general election following balloting in North Dakota's primary election, which was held on June 8, 2010. Neither candidate faced any significant opposition in the primary election.
Aggregate polling indicates that Hoeven has large leads against Potter. Hoeven is enormously popular and enjoys instant name recognition throughout the state of North Dakota. Hoeven was elected to an unprecedented third consecutive four-year term as governor in November, 2008. Hoeven's election this year to the U.S. Senate appeared to be all but a sure thing even before the campaign officially started. The immensely popular Hoeven enjoyed double-digit leads in opinion polling relative to the U.S. Senate race since earlier this year.
John Hoeven will be sworn into the U.S. Senate along with the other senators-elect on January 3, 2011.
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Cook Political Report Cook Political Report The Cook Political Report is an independent, non-partisan online newsletter that analyzes elections and campaigns for the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate, Governor's offices and the American Presidency. The Cook Political Report is led by a staff of five... |
Solid R | October 26, 2010 |
| Rothenberg Stuart Rothenberg Stuart Rothenberg is an American editor, publisher, and political analyst best known for his Washington-based, biweekly, self-proclaimed non-partisan political newsletter The Rothenberg Political Report... |
Safe R | October 22, 2010 |
| Swing State Project | Safe R | |
| RealClearPolitics RealClearPolitics RealClearPolitics is a political news and polling data aggregator based in Chicago, Illinois. The site's founders say their goal is to give readers "ideological diversity." They have described themselves as frustrated with what they perceive as anti-conservative, anti-Christian media bias, and... |
Safe R | October 26, 2010 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball Sabato's Crystal Ball Sabato’s Crystal Ball is a free, nonpartisan weekly online newsletter and comprehensive website in the United States that analyzes the current American political scene and predicts electoral outcomes for U.S House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, governors, and U.S. president races... |
Safe R | October 21, 2010 |
| CQ Politics Congressional Quarterly Congressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress... |
Safe R | October 26, 2010 |
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
John Hoeven (R) |
Tracy Potter (D) |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | October 20, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 72% | 25% | 0% | 3% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | September 20–21, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 68% | 25% | 2% | 5% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | August 10, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 69% | 25% | 1% | 5% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | July 21, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 69% | 22% | 2% | 7% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | June 15–16, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 73% | 19% | 2% | 6% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | May 18–19, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 72% | 23% | 2% | 3% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | April 20, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 69% | 24% | 2% | 5% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | March 23, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 68% | 25% | 2% | 5% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | February 9–10, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 71% | 17% | 4% | 8% |
Fundraising
| Candidate (party) | Receipts | Disbursements | Cash on hand | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Hoeven (R) | $3,419,202 | $2,246,827 | $1,172,375 | $100,000 |
| Tracy Potter (D) | $117,739 | $82,505 | $35,332 | $13,601 |
| Source: Federal Election Commission | ||||
Results
External links
- North Dakota - Elections and Voting
- U.S. Congress candidates for North Dakota at Project Vote SmartProject Vote SmartProject Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States...
- North Dakota U.S. Senate 2010 from OurCampaigns.com
- Campaign contributions from Open SecretsOpen SecretsOpen Secrets is a book of short stories by Alice Munro published by McClelland and Stewart in 1994. It was nominated for the 1994 Governor General's Award for English Fiction.-Stories:* "Carried Away"* "A Real Life"...
- 2010 North Dakota Senate General Election: All Head-to-Head Matchups graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com
- Election 2010: North Dakota Senate from Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports is an American media company that publishes and distributes information based on public opinion polling. Founded by pollster Scott Rasmussen in 2003, the company updates daily indexes including the President's job approval rating, and provides public opinion data, analysis, and...
- 2010 North Dakota Senate Race from Real Clear Politics
- 2010 North Dakota Senate Race from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Race profile from The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
Official campaign websites