North Dakota Sen. Joan Heckaman, D-New Rockford, will announce her run for lieutenant governor Wednesday in Grand Forks.
The North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party sent an advisory this afternoon stating Heckaman would hold a news conference at the Grand Forks Public Library to "make an announcement regarding her intentions for the 2016 election cycle." The party's executive director, Robert Haider, confirmed to the Herald that Heckaman would run for lieutenant governor.
Heckaman's announcement comes a week after North Dakota Rep. Marvin Nelson, D-Rolla, said he would run for the state's top job. Three Republicans, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, entrepreneur Doug Burgum, and Rep. Rick Becker, are also in the running for governor.
Incumbent Republican Gov. Jack Dalrymple is not seeking re-election.
North Dakota Democrats will hold their convention March 31-April 2 in Bismarck, while state Republicans will hold theirs that same weekend in Fargo.
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Heckaman is a retired teacher and has been in the Senate since 2007, according to her biography on the Legislature's website. She represents District 23, which includes the Spirit Lake Reservation in the southeast portion of Benson County, as well as Eddy, Nelson, Griggs and Steele counties.
