2012 United States Senate election in North Dakota

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 • Jasper Schneider, USDA rural development State Director • Mac Schneider, state senator == 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 • 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 • 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 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 By county ;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 ==