Berg Congratulates NDSU Bison on Championship Season
January 17: Rick Berg-U.S. Rep.: Pressroom: “These student athletes represent NDSU’s commitment to both academic and athletic excellence,” Berg stated. “Their character and perseverance truly exemplify the North Dakota spirit, and they have made our state proud. Congratulations to Coach Bohl, the Bison players, and NDSU fans everywhere on an excellent season.” More… Watch…
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Berg: Obama Rejection of Keystone XL Puts Politics Ahead of American Jobs
January 18: Rick Berg-U.S. Rep.: Pressroom: “By rejecting the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, President Obama has once again put politics over getting Americans back to work,” Berg stated. “The Keystone XL project would create thousands of jobs, strengthen North Dakota’s energy sector, and help break our nation’s dependence on foreign oil. Yet by blocking the pipeline’s construction, the Obama administration continues to stand as a roadblock to expanding domestic energy production and creating the jobs our nation desperately needs. In North Dakota, we have seen the benefits of a long-term energy plan that encourages investment in our state’s natural resources and energy infrastructure. Rather than playing into election year politics, the President should take a page out of North Dakota’s book and work toward common sense policies that would grow our energy sector, help make America energy independent, and create good American jobs.” More…
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Berg Statement on President Obama’s Missed Budget Deadline
January 24: Rick Berg-U.S. Rep.: Pressroom: “President Obama’s failure to uphold his legal responsibility to the American people is yet another example of his failed leadership,” Berg stated. “The American people deserve better. In North Dakota, we come together, work through our differences and pass a budget. We honor our commitments – and we meet our deadlines. To get our country back on track, it’s clear that Washington should work more like North Dakota, rather than continuing with President Obama and Washington’s failed, business-as-usual approach that continues to kick the can down the road.” More…
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Berg SOTU Response: Obama Should Look to North Dakota for Solutions
January 24: Rick Berg-U.S. Rep.: Pressroom: “If the President is serious about getting our country back on track, he should come to North Dakota,” Berg urged. “He should talk to Governor Dalrymple and North Dakota legislators. He should listen to our small business owners and energy producers and he should see how our state does it. Because in North Dakota, we know how jobs are created.” More… Watch…
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North Dakota Delegation Calls on Postmaster to Reconsider Closures
Bismarck Tribune: January 13: Sens. John Hoeven and Kent Conrad and Rep. Rick Berg today said they`ve called on Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe to reconsider the proposed closure of the Area Mail Processing (AMP) facilities in Grand Forks, Minot, and Devils Lake.
They claim that timely, reliable postal service is important to the people of North Dakota, and for the U.S. Postal Service`s (USPS) future competitiveness.
In a letter to Donahoe delivered today, they wrote: “While we understand that identifying cost savings and network optimization are crucial to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the Postal Service, we encourage you to take into consideration North Dakota`s strong economic indicators and likely growth when reviewing these facilities.
“North Dakota is currently experiencing unprecedented development, which is increasing demands on local services and infrastructure. The Minot region is experiencing an influx of businesses and rapid population growth from expansions in the energy industry. In eastern North Dakota, economic growth in both Grand Forks and Devils Lake has helped increase taxable sales and purchases over 11% in their respective counties. The Postal Service`s strategy with regard to the AMP facilities should be based on expected future conditions for each specific region.
“Residents and industries depend on the efficient services that the Postal Service offers. Closing the AMP facilities would increase the time it takes to deliver mail in North Dakota. We understand the need to cut cost but believe these processing centers need to be retained for the USPS to maintain a competitive level of service.”
The delegation has been working with local, regional and federal authorities to ensure reliable service to the cities. More…
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N.D. History Buff Takes Over as Berg`s Deputy State Director | Video
KFYR-TV: January 13: A well-known North Dakota history buff made a big career change this week. For almost two decades, Rick Collin has worked for the State Historical Society. This week, he began his new job working for Rep. Rick Berg as his Deputy State Director.
Collin is a go-to guy when it comes to North Dakota history. He worked at the State Historical Society since 1995, but now he wants to help shape future history with Berg.
“I`ve always loved history, but I also love politics. I`ve had a long interest in both, and have been involved in politics going back many years,” said Collin
Collin works in Berg`s Bismarck congressional office. He says the career switch shouldn`t be too much of a surprise, he served as communications director for Governor Ed Schafer in the early 1990`s and worked as a legislative staffer before that.
Plus, Collin adds, his family situation is much different now. “When I went to work with the State Historical Society, Andrea and my three young daughters were very young. They`re much older now, 16 years later, 16 and the twins are 21, and they`re much more on their own, and it gives me more time. I have more time now to devote to this kind of very, very fast-paced career.”
Politics is very unpredictable, but that doesn`t seem to bother Collin.
“This was a great opportunity that doesn`t come along very often, and I was at a stage in my career that I thought, you know, I want to try this. And I didn`t want to be looking back 6 months or a year from now wondering what might have been.”
Berg, Collin`s new boss, is currently competing against Duane Sand for the Republican nomination to succeed retiring Democratic Senator Kent Conrad in the U.S. Senate. More…
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Dakota Reaction To XL Pipeline
Valley News Live: January 13: North Dakota’s congressional delegation and several candidates for congress condemned the Obama administration decision to deny an application for a Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline because a deadline set by Republicans didn’t allow time for a full review. The President says his decision isn’t a judgment on the merits of the pipeline. In a statement, Obama says he’s disappointed that Republicans in Congress forced the decision.
Rep. Rick Berg (R) ND, noted that he will continue working in the House to move the Keystone XL approval forward and is exploring legislative proposals to remove the President’s permitting approval authority and transfer it to another jurisdiction’s control.
North Dakota Senator John Hoeven is also working in the Senate on proposals to move forward the project.”Analysts are already projecting $5 per gallon of gas by summer in some places. World markets reacted nervously in the wake of the Iranian navy’s threats in the Strait of Hormuz –through which one-third of the world’s seaborne oil is now shipped. Meanwhile, global demand for oil is growing, especially in China. This is a recipe for dramatically higher energy prices and more personal hardship for working Americans, but our president says ‘no’ to a timely solution,” said Hoeven in a statement.
U.S. Senate candidate Heidi Heitkamp (D) criticized the Obama Administration’s rejection saying, ”The President’s decision to reject the Keystone XL pipeline was the wrong one, plain and simple… ”As North Dakota’s United State senator, I will fight alongside Senator Hoeven to reverse this wrong-headed decision and put building the Keystone pipeline on the fast track – even if it means upsetting members of my own party.”
U.S. House candidate Brian Kalk (R)expressed his disappointment over the Obama Administration’s expected rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline project, which would have brought Canadian oil to the United States. He pointed out that Canada already has a potential customer for all that oil. ”China, who is challenging us around the world, has said it will take all the oil Canada can produce. If we are to get our economy back on track, and be competitive around the world, we must realize that fossil fuels, such as oil, natural gas, and coal, are the keys to prosperity.”
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N.D. to get $80 million in grants
Jamestown Sun: January 20: North Dakota’s congressional delegation said Minot and other communities in the state impacted by last year’s flooding will receive $80 million in Community Development Block Grant disaster funding.
Sens. John Hoeven and Kent Conrad and Rep. Rick Berg said that North Dakota’s chunk represents about 20 percent of the total funding available for disaster-affected states.
U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan outlined the state’s allotment during a conference call with the delegation on Thursday.
Minot and Ward County will receive almost $77 million of the North Dakota allotment, with $67.5 million going directly to Minot and nearly $9.5 million of the balance going to the Ward County area.
The new funds combined with FEMA grants are expected to provide over $150 million for housing and permanent flood protection.
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ND getting fed money for flood-damaged roads
Devils Lake Journal: January 23: North Dakota’s congressional delegation says nearly $10 million in federal highway funding has been awarded to repair roadways damaged by flooding last year on the Spirit Lake Reservation and at Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
The delegation says the Spirit Lake Nation will receive $6.8 million in emergency funding to help repair and raise flooded roads. Theodore Roosevelt National Park also will receive more than $3 million.
The money is part of a record $316 million the state will get in federal emergency transportation funding. The amount is separate from the regular federal funding the state gets for highways.
Sens. Kent Conrad and John Hoeven and Rep. Rick Berg say the $316 million for North Dakota makes up about one-fourth of all federal emergency highway funding being distributed nationwide.
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The Hotline’s Senate Race Rankings: Are You Better Off…
National Journal: January 26: The presidential contest has virtually overshadowed the battle for control of the Senate, but some fuzzy races are finally resolving themselves. Democrats still face an uphill slog to keep their narrow majority, but the picture looks better than it has for months — especially given Elizabeth Warren’s strength in Massachusetts.
In this, the third installment of Hotline’s monthly Senate race rankings, we examine the seats most likely to change partisan control in next year’s elections. That is, we see Sen. Ben Nelson’s seat in Nebraska as more likely to wind up in Republican hands than Sen. Kent Conrad’s seat in North Dakota (but not by much), and Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts more likely to lose to a Democrat than Nevada Sen. Dean Heller.
Our complex methodology includes a delicate balance of poll numbers, both public and private; fundraising performance; message resonance; buzz on the trail; and, the key ingredient, our gut feelings. From those five factors, we answer a fundamental question: Which candidate would we rather be? In North Dakota, we’d rather be in Rep. Rick Berg’s position than in former Attorney GeneralHeidi Heitkamp’s place, for example.
The ultimate conclusions are subjective, of course. But they represent months of close scrutiny of each race, and our best conclusions as to where the Senate is headed in the 113th Congress.
The presidential contest has virtually overshadowed the battle for control of the Senate, but some fuzzy races are finally resolving themselves. Democrats still face an uphill slog to keep their narrow majority, but the picture looks better than it has for months — especially given Elizabeth Warren’s strength in Massachusetts.
In this, the third installment of Hotline’s monthly Senate race rankings, we examine the seats most likely to change partisan control in next year’s elections. That is, we see Sen. Ben Nelson’s seat in Nebraska as more likely to wind up in Republican hands than Sen. Kent Conrad’s seat in North Dakota (but not by much), and Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts more likely to lose to a Democrat than Nevada Sen. Dean Heller.
Our complex methodology includes a delicate balance of poll numbers, both public and private; fundraising performance; message resonance; buzz on the trail; and, the key ingredient, our gut feelings. From those five factors, we answer a fundamental question: Which candidate would we rather be? In North Dakota, we’d rather be in Rep. Rick Berg’s position than in former Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp’s place, for example.
The ultimate conclusions are subjective, of course. But they represent months of close scrutiny of each race, and our best conclusions as to where the Senate is headed in the 113th Congress. More…
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Public Service Commissioner Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.
The Primary Reason
Kevin Cramer for Congress: News: January 19: North Dakota is on the move! Our economy is number one in the nation. Thousands of new jobs are being created, and entrepreneurial opportunities abound.
Yet our country is in serious trouble. Washington is encroaching too much, spending too much, and diminishing the American dream.
This is an historic election, one critical in returning America to excellence. It is far too important to leave out even one voice, one vote. It is my belief our party must grow as fast as our state. We will have tens of thousands of new voters in North Dakota by November, and we must invite their participation in this election.
That is why I have decided to seek our party’s nomination to be the Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in the Primary Election on June 12, 2012, bypassing the state endorsing convention in April.
Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and their friends in Congress, must be stopped, and there’s no time to waste!
Every Republican should have a wide-open opportunity to robustly debate and participate in this process. The stakes have never been higher.
We hold a Primary. Taxpayers pay for a Primary. It is time to have a Primary. More…
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Cramer Leads the Pack on 2011 Fundraising
Kevin Cramer for Congress: News: January 16: With the FEC reports coming in, Kevin Cramer is reporting significantly higher numbers than his competitors for the Republican nomination. Radio host Joel Heitkamp has Cramer on the show to discuss the political implications of Cramer’s just released numbers. Watch…
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US House Candidate Kevin Cramer Discusses His Primary Decision on the Joel Heitkamp Show
Kevin Cramer for Congress: News: January 19: US House candidate Kevin Cramer appears on the Joel Heitkamp show to discuss his decision to bypass the NDGOP endorsement convention and go straight to the June Primary. Watch…
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Primary Announcement on We the People with Chris Berg
Kevin Cramer for Congress: News: January 19: In what came as a surprise to many across North Dakota, 2012 Republican US House candidate Kevin Cramer announced live on the We the People show that he will be bypassing the NDGOP endorsing convention the end of March and going straight to the ND Primary election June 12, 2012, as a Republican candidate.
Listen to the live radio interview here.
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Obama’s SOTU: Is More Government Really the Answer?
Kevin Cramer for Congress: News: January 24: In his State of the Union address this evening, President Obama described his primary mission as a commitment to keeping the American dream alive, calling all Americans to a “common understanding of shared responsibility” in order to ensure that.
But once again, his rhetoric falls far short of delivering real solutions to real problems. While invoking the words of Abraham Lincoln, the nation’s first Republican President, that the government should only do for people what they cannot do for themselves, Barack Obama proceeded to outline just the opposite. Promising to push Congress for more power in the executive branch, he proposed more and more government agencies, programs and spending: a “trade enforcement” unit, a consumer watchdog unit, a federal financial crimes unit, more spending on education, more subsidies for “clean energy” investments, increased “smart” regulations on the oil and gas industry, and higher taxes on millionaires.
Our President just doesn’t get it. More…
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Late entrant to ND US House race
Devils Lake Journal: January 13: A Minot man is making a late entry into the race for the Republican endorsement to run for the U.S. House.
DuWayne Hendrickson ran for the Republican House endorsement two years ago. He finished last at the North Dakota Republican state convention. He got five delegate votes out of 1,451 votes cast.
The 54-year-old Hendrickson ran as an independent candidate for governor in 2008 and got 2 percent of the vote.
There are now six candidates for the Republican House endorsement.
The other five are Public Service Commissioners Kevin Cramer and Brian Kalk, state Reps. Kim Koppelman of West Fargo and Bette Grande of Fargo, and former North Dakota Commerce Department director Shane Goettle.
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ND GOP’s Cramer raises $215K for US House race
Devils Lake Journal: January 17: North Dakota Republican Kevin Cramer reports Monday that he’s raised $215,000 for his bid for the GOP endorsement to run for Congress.
Cramer’s Federal Election Commission report shows he’s spent almost $18,000 on his campaign through the end of last year. He has about $197,000 still in the bank.
Another Republican House candidate, Shane Goettle, reports raising almost $124,000 for his campaign so far.
Six people are competing for the Republican endorsement to run for the U.S. House. Their campaign finance reports include fundraising through the end of last year. They don’t have to report totals until Jan. 31, but Cramer and Goettle turned in their paperwork early.
Republican House candidate Brian Kalk says he’s raised more than $150,000, but his FEC report hasn’t been turned in yet.
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Cramer to bypass Republican endorsement process
WDAY: January 19: U.S. House candidate Kevin Cramer says he’ll bypass the North Dakota Republican Party’s endorsing convention in April and take his campaign straight to the June primary.
Cramer says that President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies in Congress “must be stopped,” and that “every Republican should have a wide-open opportunity to robustly debate and participate in this process.”
Cramer’s move will pit him against the party-endorsed candidate in the June primary. Five candidates are now competing for the GOP endorsement: former state commerce director Shane Goettle (GET’-uhl), Public Service Commissioner Brian Kalk, state Reps. Kim Koppelman and Bette Grande (BET’-ee GRAN’-dee), and former independent gubernatorial candidate DuWayne Hendrickson. Cramer is a public service commissioner.
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Republicans Not Pleased With Cramer
Valley News Live: January 19: North Dakota Republicans say they’re unhappy with Public Service Commissioner and candidate for U-S Congress Kevin Cramer’s decision to continue running, regardless of who’s chosen as the party’s candidate in this spring’s coming convention.
“He’s throwing everything he taught and believed in under the bus,” says North Dakota legislator Al Carlson. Carlson says he thinks Brian Kalk is a stronger candidate than Cramer, since Cramer’s run for Congress several times unsuccessfully. He says this decision of Kramer’s is not entirely a surprise, based on the talk he’s heard that he wasn’t the party’s likeliest choice.
Cramer says he’s chosen to run his campaign regardless of party endorsement in order to bring more of the state’s Republican voters into the process, rather than relying solely on the recommendation of the smaller percentage who attend the convention. Cramer says he’s still a party loyalist, and he’s convinced “we’ll all be on the same side after June.”
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North Dakota Republican U.S. House candidates debate
Bismarck Tribune: January 20: Federal health care legislation also came under fire from the candidates. Thompson asked what each candidate would replace the health care law with if it were repealed.
“As we look at this issue, I think it’s been a sham since the beginning,” Koppelman said.
Koppelman said there are elements of the health care legislation that are good and could’ve been passed individually. One such piece, he said, was the Frontier Amendment, which allows for doctors and hospitals in rural states, including North Dakota, to receive Medicare reimbursements comparable to other states. Overall, he said any health care legislation should be market-driven and not include an individual mandate.
Cramer agreed.
“Give people an incentive to stay healthy, not an incentive to go to the doctor,” Cramer said.
When it came to entitlement programs, Grande said Social Security is in need of sweeping reform, not just slight changes.
“We need to take a look at really overhauling Social Security,” Grande said.
She said the idea of allowing people to enter 401(k)-style retirement plan would be a good idea. The proposal considered by the state Legislature during the 2011 session in terms of new state workers’ pension plans.
Cramer agreed that might be a good idea.
“I think we need to allow people to opt out,” Olson said.
Other topics discussed by candidates included immigration policy, reforming the federal court system and programs for the poor.
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Duane Sand and Republican gubernatorial candidate Paul Sorum also attended. The two were given time for questions following the time given to U.S. House candidates.
A second Tea Party Caucus debate will be held Feb. 25 in Fargo. More…
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Duane Sand, R-N.D.
Berg Voted for Raising The Debt Ceiling, Before Voting Against It
Duane Sand for Senate: News: Press Release: January 18: “Today, Congress wasted its time with a meaningless vote on the debt limit that in no way reverses the decisions they made in August to allow for the debt limit to increase by three trillion dollars in three steps. The rules passed by Congress under the Budget Control Act created three automatic increases that could only be over-turned by a veto-proof Republican majority in both chambers of Congress – a situation that was certain not to happen before the 2012 elections.
By voting for the Budget Control Act which included the now-failed Super Committee, Congressman Berg sealed his record on the issue of the debt limit. The provision to allow President Obama to automatically increase the debt ceiling was an abdication of congressional authority by Republican leadership that Congressman Berg followed.
If Congressman Berg truly wanted to go on record against raising the debt ceiling, the time to do it was in August. Because he declined that opportunity, it is perfectly accurate to say that ‘Congressman Berg was for raising the debt ceiling before he was against it’.
We need principled and decisive decision making in the Senate, not the failed political posturing of the past.
Berg handed his authority as a Congressman to the Super-Committee and empowered President Obama to control our nations’ financial fate by executive edict.
This is not leadership, and it is not the kind of representation North Dakota needs in the U.S. Senate.”
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Too Little, Too Late From Democrats On Keystone Pipeline
Duane Sand for Senate: News: Press Release: January 23: If Democrats really want to be on the right side of an issue like this, they need to speak up before the decision has been made, not after.
For the last several weeks, I’ve been spreading the word about my Seven Point Energy Plan.
Both the Grand Forks Herald and the Fargo Forum have said that my plan deserves a closer look.
Energy has always been a primary focus of my efforts, both in my career as a Nuclear Engineer and political – this is why Newt Gingrich chose to endorse me in 2008.
Our country needs leadership in the area of energy, and it needs people with the technical knowledge of energy that will put the economic security of this country above politics. More…
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A Viable Plan To Save Social Security
Duane Sand for Senate: News: Press Release: January 26: Duane Sand, candidate for U.S. Senate from North Dakota, held a press conference outlining his framework for an acceptable approach to Social Security reform using data available from the American Academy of Actuaries.
“For years, all we have heard is talk when it comes to Social Security,” said Duane Sand, candidate for U.S. Senate. “The time for talk is over; a major part of getting America back on track involves finally fixing the coming Social Security crash.”
The framework, as released, includes the following revenue enhancers which represents an approach that permanently fixes Social Security by:
Reducing the combined employer/employee tax rate from 12.4% to 7.6%, a 40% rate reduction.
Eliminating the current contribution caps, making every dollar earned by every American treated the same effectively converting the Social Security funding mechanism into a Flat Tax.
Applying progressive indexing (means testing) to Social Security benefits based on retirement income needs. This will result in ending Social Security’s status as an entitlement regardless of income, and solidify its role as a true safety-net program.
Accelerating the currently scheduled retirement age increases to 67; and establishing a retirement age of 70 for everyone born after 2024.
“These revenue enhancements result in a broadening of the tax base beyond what is needed to simply fix the Social Security program,” Sand continued. “As a result, we would be able to reduce the total combined Social Security tax rate from 12.4% to 7.6%. By broadening the base of income subject to Social Security tax, and lowering the rate than everyone pays, we can make substantial progress to the cause of overall tax reform.” More…
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Nuclear plant idea merits study
Jamestown Sun: January 23: What will happen in the U.S. Senate race in North Dakota this year is anybody’s guess. But here’s something that ought to happen for sure: Regardless of who wins in November, Senate candidate Duane Sand’s ideas about nuclear energy deserve a closer look.
A much closer look, in fact, up to and including formal studies at the federal and state level. Sand may not be the best politician the state has ever produced. But he knows his nuclear power and has the background to speak with authority on that subject.
So, when he suggests that North Dakota could benefit from a nuclear power plant in the Red River Valley, North Dakota should listen. Sand’s is an intriguing idea that’s worth checking out.
A Naval Academy graduate, Sand spent years on active duty as an officer on U.S. Navy nuclear submarines. Since leaving active duty, he has risen through the officer ranks as a Navy reservist, with extended reserve/active duty tours that have taken him to the Pentagon, Iraq and Navy bases around the world.
Couple that with a civilian career that has included stints as an inspector for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and you’ve got a knowledgeable advocate for nuclear energy.
For a few reasons, Sand believes the Red River Valley is ideally suited for a nuclear power plant.
The first reason is America’s need for nuclear energy. Today, nuclear power generates about 20 percent of America’s electricity, but it does so in older power plants — and most of them will reach the end of their usable lives in the next few decades, Sand says.
How will America replace the plant’s generating capacity? That’s the key question, and the answer isn’t at all clear.
But if that answer winds up including replacement nuclear power plants, then the country surely will look for geologically stable sites that are neither tsunami- nor earthquake-prone. And the Red River Valley fills both bills.
Nuclear plants also need a source of cooling water. But the Red River is subject to droughts as well as floods. Is it reliable enough to support a nuclear plant?
Yes, Sand answered when asked that question during a recent meeting with the Herald editorial board. More…
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Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D.
Democratic Senate hopeful knocks Obama on pipeline
The Hill: Ballot Box: Josh Lederman: January 18: Republican Senate candidates have been blasting President Obama’s decision to reject the proposed Keystone XL oil sands pipeline — no surprise — but they were joined on Wednesday by a Democrat.
Former North Dakota Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp, the Democratic recruit in the race to replace retiring Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), criticized Obama’s decision to block the pipeline, which would connect to oil fields in North Dakota through feeder pipes.
“The President’s decision to reject the Keystone XL pipeline was the wrong one, plain and simple,” Heitkamp said in a statement. “Building the Keystone Pipeline will create North Dakota jobs as well as drive down costs of fuel for small businesses and North Dakota families.”
Heitkamp’s rejection of the president’s decision reflected a realization that Democrats in conservative states may have to run against Obama if they hope to establish the independence they’ll need to win over voters in November.
It also may mean embracing some of the ideas touted by Republicans — especially in a state like North Dakota, where Obama’s poll numbers are underwater.
“As North Dakota’s United States senator, I will fight alongside [Republican Sen. John] Hoeven to reverse this wrong-headed decision and put building the Keystone pipeline on the fast track – even if it means upsetting members of my own party,” Heitkamp wrote.
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N.D. Politicians React to State of the Union | Video
KFYR-TV: January 25: U.S. Senate candidate and former North Dakota Attorney General, Heidi Heitkamp, also issued a response to the President`s speech.
It said she`s glad the President plans to get our fiscal house in order by avoiding wasteful spending. And she`s encouraged that he recognizes the need to eliminate irrational government regulation.
However, Heitkamp says she was disappointed to hear that he opposed oil and gas tax policies that would help spur our development of domestic oil and gas supplies.
The president also wants the country to focus more on addressing climate change and energy savings. More…
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Look carefully at the pipeline
Bismarck Tribune: Joe Richardson: January 26: The Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, Heidi Heitkamp, joins Republican Sen. John Hoeven in calling for quick building of the Keystone XL pipeline.
She is using the same arguments as Hoeven: 1, It will create jobs; 2, It will reduce our dependency on Mideast oil; 3, It will carry North Dakota oil to market, reducing our dangerous truck traffic.
Pardon my skepticism. Trust, but verify.
What mandate is there to preclude selling refined Keystone oil on the world market, say, to China? The pipeline ends at ports on the Gulf. Once refined, it could easily be shipped to the highest bidder.
Can the U.S. seize the oil to make sure it will flow into U.S. market?
Hmm. Republicans and a Democratic candidate promoting interfering in the free trade-market of oil?
If the refined oil is mandated for use in the U.S., is this likely to reduce the pressure on U.S. demand, thereby reducing the price of North Dakota crude and the amount received by our state in taxes?
Reduce tanker truck traffic in North Dakota? What contract, treaty, condition of permit or other legally binding agreement is placed on the pipeline company and its successor companies that any North Dakota crude will be shipped on the pipeline?
Show us the terms of any such agreement before you begin counting trucks retired.
Jobs in western North Dakota? This pipeline is not even being built on North Dakota land. Let’s say the pipeline owners will be mandated to carry some North Dakota crude. Wouldn’t this cause tanker truck company owners in North Dakota to lay off drivers and support staff? With those jobs lost, would it then not be reasonable to believe that this is actually a net job loser for North Dakota?
Why not have a big pipe like this carrying North Dakota’s lower carbon sweet crude to market?
Let’s verify the benefits before concluding that this is much more than a big play by Big Oil.
Knowing that, according to OpenSecrets.org, the number No. 1 industry contributing to Hoeven’s campaign is oil and gas should make us look more carefully.
Berg Fights to Repeal Obamacare Budget Gimmicks
February 1: Rick Berg-U.S. Rep.: Pressroom: Congressman Rick Berg today continued in his fight to dismantle Obamacare by joining the House in passing the repeal of the CLASS Act, an unsustainable, $70 billion budget gimmick found in President Obama’s health care overhaul. The House passed the repeal today with a bipartisan vote of 267-159.
“The CLASS Act is another example of the poorly designed, unsustainable and unworkable provisions found in President Obama’s health care law,” Berg stated. “The President’s health care overhaul puts new costs upon America’s small businesses and families and threatens our seniors’ access to affordable care by cutting $500 billion from Medicare and putting an unelected board of bureaucrats in charge of making decisions affecting Medicare services and payment. North Dakotans did not want this law in the first place, and I will continue to work to represent the people of North Dakota by fighting to put an end to the President’s burdensome and costly health care overhaul and work for real reform that North Dakotans have asked for.” More…
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Berg Statement on January Jobs Report
February 3: Rick Berg-U.S. Rep.: Pressroom: “Anytime jobs are added to the economy, it’s a good thing. But with unemployment remaining above 8 percent for the 36th straight month, it’s clear that President Obama’s big government policies are not providing Americans with the economic recovery that he promised,” Berg stated. “Time and time again, President Obama has chosen politics over common sense, job-creating policies, like the Keystone XL pipeline expansion. This project would create thousands of jobs, strengthen North Dakota’s energy sector, and help break our nation’s dependence on foreign oil. By blocking this job-creating project, President Obama continues to stand as a roadblock to expanding domestic energy production and creating the jobs our nation desperately needs. If President Obama is serious about getting our country back on track, he would look to the common sense solutions that have worked in North Dakota and work toward policies that lower regulatory burdens on America’s job creators, encourage domestic energy production, and provide American families and small businesses with certainty to invest in our economy. ” More…
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Berg Applauds Passage of STOCK Act in Senate, Looks to Advance Legislation in House
February 3: Rick Berg-U.S. Rep.: Pressroom: “The STOCK Act is another step toward changing the way Washington does business and I will work with my colleagues in the House to advance this bipartisan bill,” Berg stated. “In North Dakota, we put good policy ahead of politics, and the House and Senate fulfill their responsibilities and vote on each other’s bills. As the House prepares to consider the STOCK Act, the Senate ought to follow suit and also vote on the 28 bipartisan, House-passed job-creating bills that they’ve so far failed to act on. These job-creating bills would remove regulatory burdens that hinder our small businesses, encourage domestic energy production, and help get Americans back to work.” More…
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Berg Advances ND Aviation Priorities, Helps Pass Long-Term FAA Reauthorization
February 3: Rick Berg-U.S. Rep.: Pressroom: “After 23 temporary extensions, this long-term FAA reauthorization is welcome news for our nation’s aviation industry,” Berg stated. “This extension not only provides long-term support to improve our nation’s aviation infrastructure, but also encourages the further development of unmanned aerial technology and protects North Dakota’s rural airports. Additionally, this bipartisan agreement provides the aviation industry with the needed certainty to make long-term decisions and begin job-creating construction projects, strengthen aviation safety, and modernize our air traffic control system.” More…
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Berg: House Takes Next Steps to Move Forward Keystone XL Approval
February 7: Rick Berg-U.S. Rep.: Pressroom: “By continuing to block the approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, President Obama has made it clear that he would rather put politics ahead of American jobs and sound energy policy,” Berg stated. “But even if the President continues to block common-sense energy solutions, like those that have worked in North Dakota, we will not stop pursuing them. Today, the House has taken another step today to move forward the approval of the job-creating Keystone XL pipeline—a project that holds tremendous potential for North Dakota’s energy sector and will help move Bakken crude oil to U.S. refineries, provide relief to the strained infrastructure needs in western North Dakota, and create much needed American jobs.” More…
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Berg Continues Fight against Overreaching Obamacare Mandates
February 7: Rick Berg-U.S. Rep.: Pressroom: Congressman Rick Berg joined more than 150 members of the U.S. House of Representatives in calling on Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to reverse a recent decision regarding the overreaching insurance mandates found in President Obama’s health care law.
In letter sent to Sebelius yesterday, the House members condemned Sebelius’s recent ruling mandating that all individual and group health insurance plans cover contraceptives, sterilizations, and abortifacients. Sebelius’s rule does not exempt most religious-affiliated organizations that offer health insurance, even if covering such services is in violations of the organizations’ conscience rights.
“This is yet another example of the unprecedented overreach found in President Obama’s health care law,” Berg stated. “As the husband of a family practice doctor, I am strongly opposed to the Obama administration standing between the healthcare decisions of patients and their doctors, and in this case, extending its overreach into faith-based organizations’ decisions as well. North Dakotans did not want the President’s healthcare overhaul to begin with. The more we learn about it, the worse it is, and I will continue fighting to repeal it.” More…
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Berg On Jobs Report
KFYR-TV: February 3: The latest jobs report came out this morning, reporting that January had the most jobs added in nine months. One North Dakota Congressman thinks that number could be higher.
Employers added 243,000 jobs, dropping the unemployment rate to 8.3 percent – the lowest level in nearly three years.
However, Congressman Rick Berg says big government policies are not providing Americans with the economic recovery the President had promised. He refers to the Keystone XL pipeline project and how the approval would create thousands of jobs. He says it would also strengthen North Dakota`s energy sector.
Berg and Senator John Hoeven continue to lead efforts to get the pipeline project approved in the house and senate.
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Disappointed in Democrats
Minot Daily News: February 5: Erik Rinerson, Fargo
I am very disappointed in the Senate Democrats and our own Sen. Kent Conrad’s decision to give up on an essential responsibility of governing by not passing a budget.
Every family in North Dakota makes some form of a budget so they can best plan for their future and their family. It is an embarrassment that the Senate is willing to play these political games and run away from their responsibility to pass a budget.
Our country is at over 8.5 percent unemployment with a record high debt of $15 trillion all while Senate Democrats are refusing to do their jobs and pass a budget. Luckily, this year we can send Rick Berg to the Senate here in North Dakota. He will not shirk his elected responsibility and will vote for a budget. I feel Berg’s work in the House has been to ensure that government keeps its promises, takes less from hardworking families and businesses, and helps create the conditions for economic growth and prosperity. Berg’s leadership and ideas are exactly what the Senate needs at this crucial time for our country.
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Endorsing Rick Berg for Senate
Bismarck Tribune: February 6: Did you know it has been 1,000 days since Senate Democrats last offered a budget plan to the American people?
I was unaware, myself, until I heard it on the news and then confirmed it through several news articles. Sounds to me like Senate Democrats abandoned the duty that we elected them to do.
I am still trying to figure out what they even do.
They have failed to prioritize our hard-earned tax dollars and tackle the nation’s most pressing economic challenges.
By not being able to offer a budget like you and I and most every other American has to do with our money, Senate Democrats have dealt a painful blow to fiscal progress that may be felt for some time.
This contrasts sharply with the record of the House Republicans that we elected in 2010.
Last spring, the new House majority produced a budget plan, brought it forward in committee, presented it to the public and passed it on the House floor.
The budget’s principled solutions honestly confront our nation’s most difficult challenges.
The president and his party’s leaders in the Senate have yet to detail a credible budget plan to get our fiscal house in order. What are they doing?
Last election, we sent Rick Berg to the House of Representatives to help get our country back on track and make Washington more like North Dakota. Rick has lived up to his promises and has done a good job in getting things done.
Unfortunately, the Senate has stood in the way of the progress that the House has made.
This election, we can send Rick to the Senate to make sure that the Senate passes a budget and much needed fiscal policy to make sure we get the country back on track.
I hope you join me in making sure Rick becomes North Dakota’s next senator.
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Public Service Commissioner Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.
PSC Hears Plans & Concerns Regarding Power Line Proposal
Kevin Cramer for Congress: News: January 31: “We can read all of the engineering and environmental reports in the world, we can hear from all types of attorney’s and experts, but nobody knows their land like the person who lives on it and farms on it,” ND Public Service Commissioner and US House candidate Kevin Cramer told WDAY news in Fargo.
Unlike several other US House candidates in ND who are able to devote their full time to campaigning and fundraising, Cramer continues working in his role as Public Service Commissioner, serving the people of North Dakota full time, while campaigning on his spare time and on weekends. “It’s demanding, but it’s worth it,” said Cramer, who appreciates the opportunity to hear from people and remain actively involved in the delicate balancing act of good government, sound public policy and growing private enterprise.
Cramer spent the day in Fargo listening to testimony from both power company representatives and residents of the region as both sides presented information regarding a proposed power transmission line that would run between Fargo and St. Cloud, Minnesota. The public hearing is part of the commission’s normal siting and approval process for projects such as this 210 mile power line.
“We will take all of this information, all of the evidence presented by the company, and certainly all of the evidence presented by land owners and concerned citizens and we will weigh it all against each other to see if there is some way to do this in a way that well it doesn’t satisfy everyone, at least minimize the negative impacts,” said Cramer. More…
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Kevin Cramer on KHND with Rick Jensen
Kevin Cramer for Congress: News: February 1: Kevin Cramer discusses his decision to go straight to the June Primary in depth with “Get It Off Your Chest” talk show host Rick Jensen on Thursday, January 25, 2012. More…
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Cramer Discusses Primary Move, House Campaign & Energy Issues on Scott Hennen Show
Kevin Cramer for Congress: News: February 3: 2012 House Candidate Kevin Cramer discusses responses to his announcement that he will be going straight to the ND Primary race in June with radio talk show host Scott Hennen on the Common Sense Club, January 26, 2012. Listen…
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Cramer Discusses Political Values and the Keystone XL on the Common Sense Club
Kevin Cramer for Congress: News: February 4: FARGO, ND – 2012 US House candidate Kevin Cramer appeared on the Common Sense Club radio show today to discuss the Constitution, public policy and faith as well as his 2012 campaign Town Halls. More…
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Energy Prices, National Security and Centralized Government Policy
Kevin Cramer for Congress: News: February 3: 2012 US House candidate Kevin Cramer appeared on KNOX’s Jarrod Thomas showto discuss important issues, including addressing concerns about government energy policy, global warming and the cost of generating power. More…
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Notable politician is managing US House Candidate campaign in North Dakota
Kevin Cramer for Congress: News: February 7: A notable politician is tapped to manage the campaign of a Republican U-S House Candidate in North Dakota.
Gary Emineth will run Kevin Cramer’s campaign. He was the state GOP chairman from 2007 to 2010, before quitting for business reasons.
Emineth calls Cramer the strongest fundraiser, most recognized and vetted candidate.
Reprinted from article published by WDAY TV, February 5, 2012
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Former NDGOP Chairman to Manage Cramer’s House Campaign
Kevin Cramer for Congress: News: February 7: Republican U.S. House candidate Kevin Cramer has tapped a notable colleague to manage his campaign: Gary Emineth, the former chairman for the North Dakota Republican Party.
“I’ve known Kevin Cramer for decades, and over that time, he has proved himself to be a trustworthy, consistent, and principled conservative leader who is aligned with the values and principles I believe in,” Emineth said in a campaign statement.
Cramer and Emineth are both former party leaders.
Emineth was the party’s executive director during the 1980s, and Cramer was his replacement after he left that post. Emineth later served as NDGOP chairman from 2007 until a few months prior to the 2010 midterm elections. (He resigned to focus on business opportunities.)
After a stint as the party’s executive director, Cramer served as party chairman in the early ’90s.
He said Emineth brings “a wealth of political experience and knowledge” to his House campaign.
“I’m grateful Gary has joined the team,” Cramer said. “He is a seasoned professional who definitely knows how to run a winning campaign.”
Emineth said that national Democrats’ focus on winning back North Dakota’s House seat is one of the reasons he’s putting his efforts behind Cramer.
“I believe that it is vitally important for North Dakota Republicans to put forth the absolute strongest fundraiser and the most well-recognized, publicly vetted candidate possible, and I know that Kevin Cramer is that person,” Emineth said. More…
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Emineth to Manage Cramer’s Campaign
Kevin Cramer for Congress: News: February 7: Gary Emineth, the former chairman of the North Dakota Republican Party, will manage the U.S. House campaign for Republican Kevin Cramer, the candidate announced.
Cramer and Gary Emineth are both former party leaders.
Emineth was the party’s executive director during the 1980s, and Cramer was his replacement after he left that post.
Emineth later served as NDGOP chairman from 2007 until a few months prior to the 2010 midterm elections.
After his stint as the party’s executive director, Cramer served as party chairman in the early ’90s.
He said Emineth brings “a wealth of political experience and knowledge” to his House campaign.
“I’m grateful Gary has joined the team,” Cramer said. “He is a seasoned professional who definitely knows how to run a winning campaign.” More…
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North Dakota Republicans wooing ‘Super’ candidates
Bismarck Tribune: January 27: It may only be January, but already the 2012 election cycle is beginning to heat up.
The North Dakota Republican presidential caucus is less than six weeks away. North Dakota is one of the 10 states that will be in play on Super Tuesday, March 6, with 437 delegates up for grabs. North Dakota GOP Communications Director Matt Becker said that this week he put out initial calls to the Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul campaigns to see if any candidates would be interested in coming to North Dakota for the caucus. Becker said he would know more on whether or not any of the candidates are interested within the next couple of weeks.
North Dakota GOP Chairman Stan Stein said on Thursday that the party will be naming its keynote speaker for its state convention during the first week of February. Stein promised that she is an energetic speaker who should fire up the crowd at the Bismarck Civic Center on March 31.
Becker wouldn’t provide the name, but hinted that “she’s not from Alaska.”
PSC vacancy?
With North Dakota Public Service Commissioner Tony Clark being nominated this week for a seat on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, it may create the need to fill a vacancy if he’s confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
North Dakota Secretary of State Al Jaeger said the issue of whether a vacancy would need to be filled depends on how long the Senate confirmation process lasts and whether Clark is confirmed. Also, a sitting member of the Legislature can’t be appointed under current law.
Jeff Zent, director of communications for Gov. Jack Dalrymple, said the governor hasn’t had any discussions on an appointment yet. Zent said the governor plans to wait until Clark’s confirmation process is under way before considering potential candidates if an appointment is needed.
Campaign funds
Speaking of elections, North Dakota’s candidates for the U.S. House and Senate seats have begun releasing their 2011 final quarter fundraising totals in recent weeks. Republican House candidate Kevin Cramer raised approximately $215,000, which leads the Republican House field so far. Brian Kalk has reportedly raised more than $150,000 and Shane Goettle $124,000. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Heidi Heitkamp reported nearly $500,000 in fundraising for the final quarter on Friday. Republican Senate candidate, U.S. Rep. Rick Berg, hasn’t released final quarter numbers, but had raised approximately $1 million through September 2011.
Finally, an interesting piece of information to chew on: According to the Washington-based Campaign Finance Institute, the average cost of winning a U.S. House seat in 2010 was $1.43 million, while the average cost of winning a U.S. Senate seat in 2010 was $8.99 million. The CFI used Federal Election Commission numbers in its calculation.
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Oil pipeline would tunnel beneath Lake Sakakawea
Bismarck Tribune: February 2: Enbridge Inc., one of western North Dakota’s major oil shippers, is asking state and federal regulators for permission to build a new oil pipeline beneath Lake Sakakawea.
The lake is the Missouri River’s largest reservoir. The request comes six months after an Exxon Mobil Corp. pipeline beneath the Yellowstone River, a Missouri tributary, ruptured and leaked more than 63,000 gallons of crude.
The Yellowstone joins the Missouri River about 20 miles southwest of Williston, N.D. The Yellowstone pipeline leak occurred near Laurel, Mont., more than 300 miles to the southwest.
Members of North Dakota’s Public Service Commission said Wednesday they would scrutinize the request closely. The commission is in charge of determining the pipeline’s route and specifics about how it will be built.
Other oil pipelines have been built beneath the lake without incident, commissioners said.
“Water is the one liquid more precious than oil to any state, ours included,” Commissioner Kevin Cramer said. “There is great care and caution that is taken, and appropriately so.”
In a regulatory filing, an Enbridge vice president, Mark Sitek, said the pipeline would carry up to 60,000 barrels of oil daily, or more than 2.5 million gallons. It would cost $136 million to build. Enbridge wants to start operations by the end of 2013.
The 12-inch pipeline would run for 36 miles from Enbridge’s Beaver Lodge pumping station southeast of Tioga to a location east of Watford City, in McKenzie County. More…
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Duane Sand, R-N.D.
A Viable Plan To Save Social Security
Duane Sand for Senate: News: Press Release: January 26: Duane Sand, candidate for U.S. Senate from North Dakota, held a press conference outlining his framework for an acceptable approach to Social Security reform using data available from the American Academy of Actuaries.
“For years, all we have heard is talk when it comes to Social Security,” said Duane Sand, candidate for U.S. Senate. “The time for talk is over; a major part of getting America back on track involves finally fixing the coming Social Security crash.”
The framework, as released, includes the following revenue enhancers which represents an approach that permanently fixes Social Security by:
Reducing the combined employer/employee tax rate from 12.4% to 7.6%, a 40% rate reduction.
Eliminating the current contribution caps, making every dollar earned by every American treated the same effectively converting the Social Security funding mechanism into a Flat Tax.
Applying progressive indexing (means testing) to Social Security benefits based on retirement income needs. This will result in ending Social Security’s status as an entitlement regardless of income, and solidify its role as a true safety-net program.
Accelerating the currently scheduled retirement age increases to 67; and establishing a retirement age of 70 for everyone born after 2024.
“These revenue enhancements result in a broadening of the tax base beyond what is needed to simply fix the Social Security program,” Sand continued. “As a result, we would be able to reduce the total combined Social Security tax rate from 12.4% to 7.6%. By broadening the base of income subject to Social Security tax, and lowering the rate than everyone pays, we can make substantial progress to the cause of overall tax reform.” More…
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ND GOP Senate candidate raises $181K, spends $164K
Devils Lake Journal: February 3: Republican U.S. Senate candidate Duane Sand raised $181,000 in the last three months of last year, and spent almost as much during the same time.
Sand’s Federal Election Commission disclosure filing on Thursday shows $164,000 in expenses along with his fundraising totals. Much of it was spent on direct mail.
His report lists about $80,000 cash in the bank at the end of last year and almost $117,000 in debts.
Sand and Republican U.S. Rep. Rick Berg are competing for the GOP endorsement to run for the U.S. Senate.
Berg’s report says he had $1.4 million in the bank last Dec. 31.
On the Democratic side, former North Dakota Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp and Tom Potter, a minister and former professor of finance, seek their party’s endorsement.
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Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D.
In Focus with Heidi Heitkamp
Great Plains Examiner: January 30: Describe your political platform and how you would serve North Dakota if elected to the U.S. Senate.
The first thing that needs to happen is everyone needs to climb out of the sandbox and start behaving like adults. Put the party aside.
A woman I met in Grand Forks said it best. She said “I understand that maybe you need to be a Democrat or Republican when you are running for office, but when you walk through the door you’re for me.” And I think people in this country don’t think the people sitting in those chairs are for them. They think they are for special interests and are highly partisan. They are following a partisan agenda instead of trying to help the people.
I think if you look back at my record over the years, I hope the one thing people would say about me is that I always put the people of North Dakota first. I believe the reason we have those seats is to make it better for the people who live here. That’s why I’m running. I don’t see that in Washington D.C. I see that the American people are taking a backseat to those special interests – whether it’s the Wall Street banks who weren’t ever held accountable, whether it’s the special interests that don’t want to lose their little tax benefit here.
The people who can hire lobbyists seem to be getting all of the attention and all of the laws written for them, as opposed to the American people. And I think that’s what this campaign is going to be about: How we are going to represent the state and the people of this country – not the special interests, not your own interest, but the interests of the people.
It might be advantageous for a Democrat in North Dakota to say those things about shrugging off party affiliations because the last couple of election cycles have favored Republicans.
I would say look at my record. You will see a record of somebody who, against party interests, has fought for the people. I’ve been able to create coalitions and work across the party divides to get things done.
Probably the best example was what we did on the property-rights initiative. There was a case called Kelo and it was about eminent domain. And I was outraged by that case, absolutely outraged that this woman who had lived in her house for all of these years could have it snatched up simply because somebody had more power than she did. And she deserved the protection of the Constitution.
I thought it was a violation of takings, but if the court didn’t see it that way then we needed to fix that problem. And North Dakota law would have allowed the same thing. So we started talking about it within my group of people – A lot of small business people, a lot of seniors – saying, well, this is amazing. At the same time the property-rights folks, the very conservative groups, were looking at it. We formed a coalition. Half of the sponsors where from their group and half were from our group, and we overwhelmingly got the signatures and changed the state Constitution.
When you look at when Fish and Wildlife tried to impose boundaries beyond wetland easements. It’s a long story, but back in the 1960s the federal Fish and Wildlife went out and talked to all these farmers and got them to sign over wetland easements. Little did they know that Fish and Wildlife thought that anytime anything was wet on their property that was included in the easement. So a couple of family farmers actually drained their wetlands to the point that the same number of acres was there as when the easements were signed. And the U.S. Attorney’s Office actually charged them criminally for doing that. And we in the North Dakota Attorney General’s Office got involved that and said that’s not going to happen on our watch and eventually went to the Eighth Circuit and were successful in helping them reverse it.
So I think you can see a lot of examples in my record when it wasn’t about party.
The polling looks like it’s going to be a close race between you and Rick Berg. So tell me what are going to be the things that differentiate you from Berg?
Every race that I’ve ever run, I don’t run against anyone; I run for the office. That’s my first priority, to tell people what I will do if they elect me.
More…
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Friday fundraising: Who won the day?
POLITICO: David Catanese: January 27: The 4th Quarter Friday fundraising ticker . . .
MO-SEN: Claire McCaskill does $1.4 million, with $5M in the bank. Telling that none of her three GOP rivals have forked over their number?
NM-SEN: Heather Wilson’s $375,000 quarter was topped by Rep. Martin Heinrich’s $483,028. The cash on hand difference is about $200K — Heinrich’s $1.3M to Wilson’s $1.1M.
NE-SEN: State Sen. Deb Fischer posts just $66,727. Her cash on hand of $207,839 actually puts her ahead of Don Stenberg. But she’s playing without the heavy hand of Jim DeMint’s PAC.
ND-SEN: Heidi Heitkamp raises a half a million in about seven weeks, an encouraging start for the much-hyped candidate who Democrats have convinced themselves can hold a seat in rough red terrain.
So who won the day? Heitkamp for coming out of the gate with a formidable number in a relatively cheap state. McCaskill’s number technically broke on Thursday, but her team gets credit for stockpiling $5 million for the tough slog ahead.
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Candidates Announce Fund-Raising Totals
KFYR-TV: January 31: Republican Representative Rick Berg and former Democratic Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp have now both announced their most recent fund-raising totals. The two are competing for their respective party`s nominations to replace retiring Democratic Senator Kent Conrad in the U.S. Senate.
Berg announced this morning that he raised $552,000 in the fourth quarter and his campaign now has $1.4 million on hand.
Late last week, Heitkamp announced that she raised $450,000 from early November. when she announced her candidacy, through the end of December.
Republican Duane Sand is challenging Berg for the Republican nomination, and Democrat Tom Potter is taking on Heitkamp. Both say although they don`t have nearly the same financial resources as their opponents, they believe they can still win with a grassroots effort.
Today, Gov. Dalrymple also announced that he raised over $824,000 in 2011. For his re-election campaign.
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District Democratic Convention in Williston
KFYR-TV: February 6: Democratic Senate hopeful Heidi Heitkamp is in Williston for a District 1 reorganization and convention meeting. She will also be joined by state senate minority leader Ryan Taylor, who`s running for Governor.
“I`m really looking forward to seeing a lot of people that I haven`t seen for a long time and reconnecting and also having a chance to lay out to all of the delegates why I should be the nominee,” Heitkamp said.
The meeting begins took place at Grandma Sharon`s.
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Heitkamp, Berg Haul In PAC Cash
National Journal: February 7: What’s in a Federal Election Commission filing? If you’re former North Dakota Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp, the answer is a whole lot of money from political action committees.
Democrats have touted Heitkamp’s potential as a prolific fundraiser and aggressive campaigner in her bid to replace retiring Sen. Kent Conrad. But more than a quarter of the money Heitkamp raised in her first six weeks as a candidate came from Washington Democrats, their campaigns and their PACs.
Heitkamp received $110,000 in leadership PAC donations, including $10,000 each from Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA), and another $12,000 in Senate candidate committee donations. Heitkamp raised a total of $450,000 over the last three months.
Heitkamp’s haul from political action committees is smaller than her rival, Rep. Rick Berg, who raised $197,250 from PACs over the last quarter. That accounted for about 35 percent of the total he raised over the last three months, according to his FEC report; Berg raised only $19,000 in unitemized contributions, amounts of less than $200,
In advance of her Jan. 31 filing, the AP reported Heitkamp’s campaign, which we called a Senate fundraising “winner”, said she raised just under $500,000. But that figure was rounded pretty far above the $450,000 she actually raised.
That’s not to take away from Heitkamp’s fast start; after all, she only had a few weeks at the end of the quarter to rev up her fundraising machine. Heitkamp ended the quarter with $411,892 in the bank; Berg had $1.39 million on hand.
