This appointment could give Trump some non-partisan credentials.
According to Ron Gunzburger, state Representative Becker is thinking of running in 2018.
It’s more than likely Rep. Cramer will be appointed to Heitkamp’s seat. She doesn’t want to face him in 2018. She lucked out in 2012 because freshman Rep. Rick Berg turned out to be unusually weak. Berg should’ve stayed in the House and Cramer should’ve been the Senate nominee in ‘12, as he would’ve handily won.
The governor of North Dakota is a Republican so she would be replaced immediately by a Republican - who would likely be a shoo-in for election as long as he or she is a halfway decent person in a state like North Dakota. That would free up a lot of resources to fight elsewhere as no doubt Heitkamp would be a top target for defeat by the Republicans in 2018.