FARGO, N.D. (AP) - Longtime North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem won the endorsement of Republican convention delegates for governor on Saturday though he will face a challenge from a Fargo businessman and philanthropist who has vowed to stay in the race until the June primary.
Stenehjem beat Bismarck state Rep. Rick Becker and Fargo businessman Doug Burgum for convention backing to replace Gov. Jack Dalrymple, who is not seeking re-election.
It took two ballots for Stenehjem to get more than 50 percent of the votes from GOP convention delegates on the second day of the party’s three-day convention. Stenehjem tallied 822 votes, just over the 820 needed to reach 50 percent of those tallied. Becker got 618 votes and Burgum trailed with 157 votes.
“I can’t begin to express my gratitude for all of the support you’ve shown me today,” Stenehjem told more than 1,600 delegates at the convention.
Stenehjem, 63, served four years in North Dakota House and 20 years in the state Senate. He ran unsuccessfully in 1990 for Republican support to be labor commissioner. He was first elected attorney general in 2000 and is in the middle of his fifth term as the state’s top law enforcement officer.
Political party convention endorsements guarantee a candidate a spot on the June primary ballot and party support for their race. Primary challenges are rare, although anyone may run against an endorsed candidate by collecting petition signatures from 300 voters.
Burgum, a former Microsoft executive, spent more than $500,000 ahead of the convention on television advertising. Burgum told The Associated Press that the advertising blitz would continue until the June 14 primary.
Stenehjem told reporters that he also planned an extensive advertising campaign ahead of the primary.
Burgum said he did not expect to win the GOP endorsement, and instead focus on attracting voters beyond the convention hall.
“I’m feeling great about today,” he said, despite his third place finish. “It doesn’t give us pause at all.”
Becker, who is dropping out of the race, said it was unlikely that he would ask his supporters to endorse either candidate.
“I don’t think people like to be told what to do,” Becker said.
North Dakota has not had a Democratic governor since 1992. State Rep. Marvin Nelson was endorsed Friday by Democrats. Nelson came forward after the party’s top hopes, U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp and former state Agriculture Commissioner Sarah Vogel, considered running for governor but ultimately rejected the idea.
North Dakota Republican convention delegates also endorsed current state schools superintendent Kirsten Baesler, Public Service Commissioner Julie Fedorchak, and Treasurer Kelly Schmidt. For federal office, they gave U.S. Sen. John Hoeven backing for another term.
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