2010 United States Senate election in North Dakota

Background

Incumbent Byron Dorgan never had a difficult time getting elected, as he obtained 59%, 63%, and 68% in his three senate election bids, respectively. However, in December 2009, Rasmussen Reports conducted a hypothetical matchup of Governor John Hoeven against the incumbent. Hoeven led by a large margin, 58% to Dorgan's 36%. Polls showed that 61% of the state still had a favorable view of Dorgan, and if pitted against state senator Duane Sand, the incumbent led 52% to 37%.

Several prominent members of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party expressed an interest in the U.S. Senate race once Senator Dorgan announced that he would not run again. Among those people were Joel Heitkamp, a former North Dakota state senator and current radio talk show host of News and Views on KFGO in Fargo. His sister, former North Dakota attorney general Heidi Heitkamp of Bismarck, also considered running, but declined to enter the race as well. Heidi Heitkamp later held North Dakota’s other Senate seat from 2013 to 2019.

Others who had indicated an interest in the race were businesswoman Kristin Hedger and national progressive talk show host Ed Schultz. Hedger was the Democratic candidate for North Dakota secretary of state in the 2006 general election, which she lost to the incumbent, Republican Alvin Jaeger. While flattered to have been asked, Schultz said he had to decline since he would have been forced to give up his nightly television program on MSNBC The Ed Show as well as his daily progressive national radio show, The Ed Schultz Show, in order to run. Also, Federal Communications Commission regulations decree that equal and free air time would have had to be given to whoever Schultz's opponents would have been in the election in order to allow them to respond to anything that Schultz would have said about them on his programs.

Democratic-NPL primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Tracy Potter, state senator

Declined

• Byron Dorgan, incumbent U.S. Senator
• Kristin Hedger, manufacturing executive and nominee for North Dakota Secretary of State in 2006
• Heidi Heitkamp, former North Dakota Attorney General and nominee for Governor of North Dakota in 2000
• Ed Schultz, TV and radio talk show host

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• John Hoeven, Governor of North Dakota

Eliminated in primary

• Timothy Beattie

Results

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Keith Hanson, engineer

Results

General election

Campaign

Hoeven was challenged in the race by North Dakota state senator Tracy Potter of Bismarck. Potter received the endorsement of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party at its state convention on March 27, 2010. Governor Hoeven and Senator Potter advanced to the November 2, 2010 general election following balloting in North Dakota's primary election, which was held on June 8, 2010. Neither candidate faced any significant opposition in the primary election.

Aggregate polling throughout 2010 indicated that Hoeven had large double-digit leads against Potter. Hoeven was enormously popular and enjoyed instant name recognition throughout the state of North Dakota. Having won an unprecedented third consecutive four-year term as governor in November 2008, his election in 2010 to the U.S. Senate was all but certain.

John Hoeven was sworn into the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2011. As of 2026, 2010 is the last U.S. Senate race in North Dakota where any candidate won every county.

Predictions

Polling

Fundraising

Results

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

All 53

References

References

1. "2010 North Dakota Senate: Hoeven 58%, Dorgan 36% - Rasmussen Reports". Rasmussenreports.com.
2. (February 5, 2010). "Potter seeks center in Senate race". Bismarcktribune.com.
3. Thomas, Ken. (2010-01-06). "Dorgan says he will not seek re-election in fall".
4. Cadei, Emily. (March 8, 2010). "North Dakota: Democrats Struggle to Find Senate Nominee". [[Roll Call]].
5. [[Associated Press]]. (January 7, 2010). "Talk host Ed Schultz won’t run for US Senate in ND". [[The San Diego Union-Tribune]].
6. "North Dakota Secretary of State". ND Secretary of State.
7. (January 11, 2010). "Hoeven ends suspense, enters Senate race". Bismarcktribune.com.
8. Wetzel, Dale. (August 2019). ["Hoeven raises $1.37M in donations for N.D. Senate campaign"](http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/157847/group/Elections%202010 }}{{Dead link). Grand Forks Herald.
9. Rudin, Ken. (November 11, 2009). "Early Look At 2010 Senate Races: GOP Shows Improvement Since June". NPR.
10. Silver, Nate. (March 24, 2010). "Politics Done Right: Senate Forecast Update, 3/24". FiveThirtyEight.
11. "Senate". [[Cook Political Report]].
12. "Senate Ratings". [[Rothenberg Political Report]].
13. "2010 Senate Ratings". [[Sabato's Crystal Ball]].
14. "Battle for the Senate". [[RealClearPolitics]].
15. "Race Ratings Chart: Senate". [[CQ Politics]].
16. (August 2019). "2010 House and Senate Campaign Finance for North Dakota". fec.gov.
17. (November 2, 2010). "Official Results General Election".