Posted on 01/06/2010 6:05:08 AM PST by moose2004
Oh, that’s right. So that covers, what, 2007-2008? I hope he was doing something awfully important prior to that that he refused to run against Dorgan in 2004 (or against Conrad in 2000 for that matter).
Might be personal reasons why he didn’t run. He was apparently doing several things from the 2000-07 period, briefly serving at one point as an aide to the Secretary of the Army. Of course, I also noticed he’ll be 66 in 2012, so it’s possible he may again decline to run, not wanting to spend his retirement years in DC. He really should’ve run in either 2000 or 2004.
Schafer really should run against Conrad even if it’s for a single term. 2012 would be too soon for the ND GOP to have any other first-tier candidates, but by 2018 we’ll hopefully have another two-term governor ready to run for the Senate, as well as three-term Congressman Cramer just in case.
Hoeven’s Gubernatorial successor will be Jack Dalrymple. However, I can almost guarantee you Dalrymple won’t run for the Senate in 2018. Why ? He’ll be 70.
Will Dalrymple run for Governor in 2010?
You mean 2012 ? Hoeven will be leaving mid-term. I don’t know, I’d presume it depends if he likes the job. He’s waited a quarter-century in elective office to make it to Governor. My presumption is that he’ll run in ‘12 and perhaps retire in ‘16 when he’s 68, although he might decide to serve clear until 2020. There’s no term limits for Governor in ND.
Yes, I meant 2012. If Dalrymple doesn’t run in 2012 (á la Schweiker in PA), or loses in the primary, then the new ND governor would be in his second term in 2018.
If he does run for governor in 2012, then the ND governor in 2018 will be either a 70-year-old Dalrymple or a Republican in only his second year as governor, and we’d have to look to Congressman Cramer for a first-tier candidate.
Presuming there is a GOP Governor elected in 2016. The Dems could mount an effective argument that it will have been 28 years since they last elected a Dem in that office by that year, and party fatigue almost always sets in at some point.
Good point.
But I still think that we’re better off with Schafer running against Conrad in 2012 even if he only serves one term and we need to find someone else to run for the seat in 2018.
Wasn’t Conrad also involved in Countrywide along with “Friend of Anglo” Chris Dodd? Shouldn’t there plenty of dirt on him to bring down his poll numbers that even a lower tier candidate could beat him?
Yes, he was a player in that mess.
As I theorized, it’s quite possible that he may simply retire in ‘12, especially once his votes contrast dramatically with Hoeven’s.
You’re right, someone like the state AG could beat Conrad in 2012.
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