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 as well as other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic-NPL U.S. Senator Kent Conrad decided to retire instead of running for re-election to a fifth term.
Though each party endorses a single candidate in state political conventions in the spring, North Dakota determines actual ballot access for the general election in a statewide primary election that was held June 12, 2012.
Former Democratic-NPL Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp ran for and won the open seat in a close-fought victory over Republican Rick Berg, North Dakota's sole U.S. Representative, by a margin of 0.9%. Heitkamp outperformed President Obama by 20.5%, who lost North Dakota by 19.6% in the concurrent presidential election.
As of, this is the last time a Democrat was elected to Congress or won a 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
Declared
- 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
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
Candidates
Declared
- Rick Berg, U.S. Representative
- Duane Sand, former North and South Dakota Director for Americans for Prosperity
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
- 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, U.S. Representative
- Heidi Heitkamp, former attorney general of North Dakota and nominee for governor in 2000
- Bill Kiefer, businessman
Debates
- , October 15, 2012 - C-SPAN
- , October 25, 2012 - C-SPAN
Fundraising
Top contributors
| Heidi Heitkamp | Contribution | Rick Berg | Contribution |
| Motley Rice LLC | $41,750 | Verizon Communications | $43,666 |
| Council for a Livable World | $26,705 | Elliott Management Corporation | $29,413 |
| Weitz & Luxenberg | $22,400 | NORPAC | $26,700 |
| Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP | $15,050 | Mewbourne Oil Co | $25,000 |
| Medcenter One Health Systems | $12,000 | Rurban Financial | $22,700 |
| American Association for Justice | $10,833 | Hess Corp | $22,500 |
| Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld | $10,750 | NACCO Industries | $22,000 |
| American Federation of Teachers | $10,300 | Marathon Oil | $21,000 |
| Patton Boggs LLP | $10,250 | Berkshire Hathaway | $20,500 |
| American Postal Workers Union | $10,000 | Koch Industries | $20,000 |
Top industries
| Heidi Heitkamp | Contribution | Rick Berg | Contribution |
| Lawyers/law firms | $433,811 | Oil & gas | $433,949 |
| Leadership PACs | $284,500 | Leadership PACs | $277,163 |
| Women's issues | $111,593 | Financial institutions | $274,941 |
| Lobbyists | $103,635 | Retired | $218,909 |
| Retired | $100,812 | Real estate | $171,686 |
| Agribusiness | $78,450 | Agribusiness | $163,583 |
| Public sector unions | $73,800 | Insurance | $140,011 |
| Financial institutions | $64,713 | Commercial banks | $127,140 |
| Education | $60,960 | Health professionals | $114,438 |
| Building trade unions | $52,500 | Mining | $106,804 |