2012 United States Senate election in North Dakota

The 2012 United States Senate election in North Dakota took place on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election, other United States Senate elections, United States House of Representatives elections, and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic-NPL Senator Kent Conrad decided to retire instead of running for reelection to a fifth term.

Though each party endorses a single candidate in state conventions in the spring, ballot access for the general election was determined in a primary election held on June 12, 2012.

Heidi Heitkamp, a Democratic-NPL former North Dakota Attorney General, won the open seat over Republican Rick Berg, North Dakota's at-large U.S. Representative, by a margin of 0.9%. Heitkamp outperformed President Barack Obama by 20.5%, the latter having lost North Dakota by 19.6% in the concurrent presidential election. Heitkamp's very narrow winning margin made it the closest race of the 2012 United States Senate elections.

As of 2024, this was the last time a Democrat won a federal and/or statewide election in North Dakota.

Democratic-NPL primary

The North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party held their state convention March 16–18, 2012, in Grand Forks. Former state attorney general and 2000 Democratic gubernatorial nominee Heidi Heitkamp was uncontested in seeking the official party nomination and was the only member of the party elected to appear on the state primary ballot.

Candidates

Nominee

• Heidi Heitkamp, former attorney general of North Dakota and nominee for Governor of North Dakota in 2000

Withdrew

• Thomas Potter, Presbyterian pastor and former professor of finance at UND (dropped out February 2012)

Declined

• Kent Conrad, incumbent U.S. Senator
• Pam Gulleson, former state representative and former chief of staff and former state director for former senator Byron Dorgan
• Kristin Hedger, nominee for North Dakota Secretary of State in 2006
• Joel Heitkamp, brother of Heidi Heitkamp, radio personality and former state senator
• Roger Johnson, president of the National Farmers Union and former North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner
• Tim Mathern, state senator and nominee for governor in 2008
• Earl Pomeroy, former U.S. Representative
• Tracy Potter, state senator and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2010
• Tim Purdon, U.S. Attorney
• Jasper Schneider, USDA rural development State Director
• Mac Schneider, state senator
• Ryan Taylor, Minority Leader of the North Dakota Senate

Republican primary

North Dakota Republicans endorsed U.S. Representative Rick Berg at their convention, though general election ballot access is determined by a statewide primary election held on June 12, 2012. In contrast to state political tradition, declared candidate Duane Sand did not seek the party endorsement, trying instead to defeat Berg on the June primary ballot.

Candidates

Nominee

• Rick Berg, U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

• Duane Sand, former North and South Dakota Director for Americans for Prosperity and nominee for ND-AL in 2004 and 2008

Declined

• Al Carlson, North Dakota state house majority leader
• Tony Clark, state public service commissioner
• Kevin Cramer, state public service commissioner
• Jack Dalrymple, North Dakota governor and 1992 Republican nominee for U.S. Senate
• Cory Fong, state tax commissioner
• Shane Goettle, U.S. Senator John Hoeven's state director
• Tony Grindberg, state senator
• Bob Harms, North Dakota Republican Party treasurer
• Brian Kalk, state public service commissioner (running for House)
• Kim Koppelman, state representative
• Ed Schafer, former U.S. agriculture secretary and former North Dakota governor
• Kelly Schmidt, North Dakota treasurer
• Wayne Stenehjem, North Dakota attorney general
• John Warford, mayor of Bismarck
• Drew Wrigley, North Dakota lieutenant governor

Endorsements

Polling

Results

General election

Candidates

• Rick Berg (R), U.S. Representative
• Heidi Heitkamp (D), former attorney general of North Dakota and nominee for governor in 2000
• Bill Kiefer (I), businessman

Debates

• Complete video of debate, October 15, 2012 - C-SPAN
• Complete video of debate, October 25, 2012 - C-SPAN

Fundraising

Top contributors

Top industries

Independent expenditures

In early October 2012, Crossroads GPS announced that it would launch a $16 million advertising buy in national races, of which four were this and three other Senate elections.

Predictions

Polling

Results

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Adams (largest city: Hettinger)
• Billings (largest city: Medora)
• Bottineau (largest city: Bottineau)
• Bowman (largest city: Bowman)
• Burke (largest city: Powers Lake)
• Burleigh (largest city: Bismarck)
• Dickey (largest city: Oakes)
• Dunn (largest city: Killdeer)
• Emmons (largest city: Linton)
• Golden Valley (largest city: Beach)
• Grant (largest city: Elgin)
• Hettinger (largest city: Mott)
• Kidder (largest city: Steele)
• LaMoure (largest city: LaMoure)
• Logan (largest city: Napoleon)
• McIntosh (largest city: Wishek)
• McKenzie (largest city: Watford City)
• McLean (largest city: Garrison)
• Mercer (largest city: Beulah)
• Morton (largest city: Mandan)
• Oliver (largest city: Center)
• Pierce (largest city: Rugby)
• Renville (largest city: Mohall)
• Sheridan (largest city: McClusky)
• Slope (largest city: Marmarth)
• Stark (largest city: Dickinson)
• Ward (largest city: Minot)
• Wells (largest city: Harvey)
• Williams (largest city: Williston)

See also

• 2012 United States Senate elections
• 2012 United States House of Representatives election in North Dakota
• 2012 North Dakota gubernatorial election

References

External links

• North Dakota Secretary of State
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets
• Outside spending at Sunlight Foundation
• Candidate issue positions at On the Issues

Official campaign websites (Archived)

• Rick Berg for U.S. Senate
• Heidi Heitkamp for U.S. Senate