Berg to challenge Pomeroy in November U.S. House race

North Dakota's candidates for Congress were finalized Tuesday, as voters chose candidates for three parties on the Nov. 2 ballot.

The Democratic-NPL, Libertarian and Republican parties already had endorsed candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate during conventions held earlier this year.

But during Tuesday's primary election, voters chose whether state Rep. Rick Berg, Fargo, or Kenmare, N.D., oil consultant J.D. Donaghe would be the GOP-nominated candidate for the U.S. House. The winner will challenge incumbent Democrat Earl Pomeroy.

Berg had a large lead over Donaghe on Tuesday night -- 33,959 votes to 3,839 votes, or 89.7 percent to 10.1 percent. Those numbers represent 292 of 505 North Dakota precincts reporting at 10 p.m.

Berg said he was "humbled" by the grassroots support he's received from across the state. As he's traveled North Dakota in the past few months, he said, voters have said "Washington's broken" as the federal government bails out private businesses and spends money it doesn't have.

"But the biggest deal is they've stopped listening to the people that elected them," he said.

Berg said he expects the race against Pomeroy to be "a challenge."

"But, again, polls also show people feel Washington's broken and they're spending money we don't have," he said -- a sentiment he thinks could affect Pomeroy's chances of re-election to a 10th House term.

'In good company'

Donaghe was one of four Republicans who competed for the party endorsement during the March state convention in Grand Forks. He was unsuccessful in his bid, and decided to challenge endorsee Berg in Tuesday's primary election.

"My participation in this election was a statement of principle," Donaghe said, adding that voters should have a choice over their party's candidate and they shouldn't be "dictated to by either party."

But Donaghe said he wished primary rival Berg "great success in the fall" and will help the Berg campaign. He even plans to vote for Berg this November, he said.

After the general election, residents can expect an announcement about Donaghe's next political ambitions -- a run for either a statewide office or a federal office.

"We're going to keep moving forward, and we will be involved in the election process again in 2012," he said. "Abraham Lincoln didn't win his first one, and Ronald Reagan didn't either, so we're in good company."

U.S. Senate

Three candidates will compete in the Nov. 2 election to be North Dakota's junior senator.

Keith Hanson, John Hoeven and Tracy Potter were uncontested in seeking their political party's nomination during Tuesday's election. They'll all advance to November with hopes to win the U.S. Senate seat that has been held by Democratic Sen. Byron Dorgan since 1992.

Dorgan announced in January that he would not seek re-election to a fourth term.

Hanson, a systems engineer from West Fargo, will be the Libertarian Party's nominated candidate this November.

Hoeven picked up the Republican Party's endorsement this spring and is now the GOP nominee for the Senate. Now in his third term, he's served as North Dakota's governor since 2000.

Potter, a state senator from Bismarck, got the Democratic-NPL Party's endorsement in March. He is president and executive director of the Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation in Mandan, N.D.

Johnson reports on local politics. Reach him at (701) 780-1105; (800) 477-6572, ext. 105; or send e-mail to rjohnson@gfherald.com .