If North Dakota is gonna turn over its Senator then the demonizing better start now.
There is no way they'll kick out their man.
Maybe, maybe not. First Hoven would have to run and second he would have to get assurances from the repub party to outspend Conrad. Shutting down some of the pork Conrad pulls in would help make him venerable.
I know that Ed Schafer said he wouldn't run against Dorgan, but he is infinitely more popular than Conrad, and if he could be coaxed back into public service, could beat Conrad easily. Conrad hasn't had Dorgan's years of constituency service that keep Dorgan comfortably in office. What is interesting is that Conrad, more so than Dorgan, was closely tied to Daschle from SD.
If there was a vacancy in either Senatorial seat, Hoeven could appoint himself and then Jack Dalrymple, the GOP lieutenant governor, would be elevated to governor. But I don't think that's going to happen.
Personally, every time I see Conrad putting up one of those silly charts to make a point, I just want to giggle.