 | |||||||||||||||||
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| Turnout | 60.6% (voting eligible)[1] | ||||||||||||||||
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  Heitkamp: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 80–90% Berg: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in North Dakota |
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The 2012 United States Senate election in North Dakota took place on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election, other United States Senate elections, United States House of Representatives elections, and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic-NPL Senator Kent Conrad decided to retire instead of running for reelection to a fifth term.
Though each party endorses a single candidate in state conventions in the spring, ballot access for the general election was determined in a primary election held on June 12, 2012.[2]
Heidi Heitkamp, a Democratic-NPL former North Dakota Attorney General, won the open seat over Republican Rick Berg, North Dakota's at-large U.S. Representative, by a margin of 0.9%.[3] Heitkamp outperformed President Barack Obama by 20.5%, the latter having lost North Dakota by 19.6% in the concurrent presidential election.[4] Heitkamp's very narrow winning margin made it the closest race of the 2012 United States Senate elections.
As of 2024[update], this was the last time a Democrat won a federal and/or statewide election in North Dakota.[5]
- ^ Dr. Michael McDonald (February 9, 2013). "2012 General Election Turnout Rates". George Mason University. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved April 6, 2013.
- ^ "North Dakota election calendar" (PDF). Secretary of State. July 2011. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
- ^ Kate Nocera (November 7, 2012). "Heidi Heitkamp scores upset win in North Dakota". Politico. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
- ^ "Can Heitkamp Win Again in Red North Dakota?". www.realclearpolitics.com. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
- ^ The Associated Press (February 22, 2024). "North Dakota Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer says he's seeking reelection". Toronto Star. Retrieved February 23, 2024.