Talk Elections

Breaking. (http://kfgo.com/news/articles/2015/aug/24/dalrymple-wont-run-for-re-election/) LG Drew Wrigley already mentioned for the Pubs, ditto AG Wayne Stenejhem.

Weirdly, gubernatorial elections in both Dakotas are way more solidly Republican than Senate elections. So I think that the Republican will win out here by a large margin.

Unfortunately I don't know much about North Dakota politics. Any ideas on who will run?

I think this will be a tough choice for Heitkamp. I think she has a tough road ahead, whether she choses to run for governor or for reelection in 2018. We'll see what she decides, but she appears to be the Democrat's best candidate in the state (but I will admit, I don't know much about ND politics). I personally hope she stays in the senate and tries to run for reelection so Dems have another vote. Her seat would almost certainly go Republican if she leaves it to run for governor.   

Safe R no matter what. Heitkamp would make it slightly competitive, but I doubt she would win it. And in the process would leave her Senate seat an easy pickup for R's. The Dakotas seem to flirt a lot with Democrats at the congressional level, but at the state level they are strictly Republican.

Why would Heitkamp leave for an equally tough or tougher gubernatorial race when even if she won, she'd be a figurehead for Pub legislative supermajorities? Plus the Senate seat Safe R with her gone.

Heitkamp wouldn't have to give up her Senate seat to run for Governor, since she's not up for re-election until 2018. She would obviously have to give it up if she won, though.

Interesting to note that this will be North Dakota's first open gubernatorial race since 2000. And even more interesting is that Heitkamp was the Democratic nominee that year (she ultimately lost to Hoeven). I doubt she'll go for it again, but the lack of an incumbent will certainly make it enticing.

I know Wikipedia isn't a reliable source, but they mention a number of Dems that could run, including State Sen. George B. Sinner (ran against Cramer last cycle), 2012 nominee Ryan Taylor, Earl Pomeroy (highly doubt it) and Jasper Schneider, the USDA Rural Development Director and a former state rep.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Dakota_gubernatorial_election,_2016

Heitkamp running for governor would be a fool's errand. At the very least, there's a chance that she'll hold on to her senate seat.

Likely R unless Heitkamp runs.

My gut says Heitkamp will decline a run for governor and run for reelection to the senate in 2018. I think she'd have a better shot at winning reelection than being elected governor, and democrats really need her to run for senate to hold this seat

http://atr.rollcall.com/heitkamp-decide-campaign-governor-next-week/

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NORTH DAKOTA: US Sen Heidi Heitkamp (D) announced she will NOT enter the open gubernatorial race.

Heitkamp made it official today on her Facebook that she's not running. Maybe Kent Conrad will get into the race?

Is this Earl Pomeroy character considering a run?

Bismarck state representative Rick Becker is the first candidate to formally announce that he is running for governor (http://www.kvrr.com/news/local-news/North-Dakota-Gets-First-Formal-Governor-Race-Announcement/35934312)