2010 United States House of Representatives election in North Dakota

2010 United States House of Representatives election in North Dakota

November 2, 2010 (2010-11-02)
Turnout	237,137
Nominee Rick Berg Earl Pomeroy Party Republican Democratic–NPL Popular vote 129,802 106,542 Percentage 54.7% 44.9%
County results Berg:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Pomeroy:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
U.S. Representative before election Earl Pomeroy Democratic–NPL Elected U.S. Representative Rick Berg Republican

The 2010 House election in North Dakota took place on November 2, 2010, to elect the state's at-large Representative to the United States House of Representatives. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; this election was for the 112th Congress from January 3, 2011, until January 3, 2013. North Dakota has one seat in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census.

The election was held concurrently with the United States Senate elections of 2010 (including one in North Dakota), the United States House elections in other states and various state and local elections.

Background

Despite Republican dominance at the presidential level in North Dakota, which has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1964, as well as state and local elections, Democrats achieved several consecutive victories in congressional elections in the state since the 1980s. Democrats had held the state's at-large House seat since 1981. From 1987 to 2011, North Dakota had a completely Democratic congressional delegation.

Since his first election in 1992, incumbent Democrat Earl Pomeroy had usually won reelection by comfortable margins. However, with Democrats fighting in a much tougher political environment in 2010, Republicans planned on putting forward a serious challenge.[1] Republicans running against him included state Public Service Commissioner Kevin Cramer, state Representative Rick Berg, and former University of Mary football coach Paul Schaffner. Pomeroy was likely more vulnerable than usual due to his support for the Democratic House Healthcare bill, which 64% of North Dakotans opposed,^[citation needed] and President Barack Obama's declining job approval ratings in the state.[2]

General election

Candidates

Democrats

• Earl Pomeroy, incumbent U.S. Representative

Republicans

• Rick Berg, North Dakota State Representative and former state House Majority Leader
• J.D. Donaghe, oil field consultant

Polling

Poll source	Date(s)dministered	Earl Pomeroy (D)	Rick Berg (R)	Other	Undecided
Public Opinion Strategies[3]†	October 24–25, 2010	42%	51%	-	-
Rasmussen Reports[4]	October 18–19, 2010	42%	52%	1%	5%
The Hill/ANGA[5]	October 16–19, 2010	45%	44%	-	9%
Prairie Poll[6]	October 2010	44%	34%	-	-
Rasmussen Reports[7]	September 20–21, 2010	45%	48%	1%	5%
Garin-Hart-Yang[8]†	September 10–12, 2010	46%	44%	-	-
Rasmussen Reports[9]	August 10–11, 2010	44%	53%	1%	3%
Rasmussen Reports[10]	July 21, 2010	46%	49%	1%	5%
Rasmussen Reports[11]	June 15–16, 2010	44%	51%	1%	5%
Rasmussen Reports[12]	May 19, 2010	43%	52%	2%	3%
Rasmussen Reports[13]	April 20, 2010	45%	49%	2%	4%
Rasmussen Reports[14]	March 23–24, 2010	44%	51%	1%	4%
Rasmussen Reports[15]	February 9–10, 2010	40%	46%	3%	11%

†Internal poll (Garin-Hart-Yang for Pomeroy and Public Opinion Strategies for Berg)

Results

In the general election Berg unseated Pomeroy by a vote of 129,802 (55%) to 106,542 (45%) becoming the first Republican since 1980 to represent North Dakota's at-large congressional district.

North Dakota's at-large congressional district election, 2010[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Rick Berg	129,802	54.74
	Democratic–NPL	Earl Pomeroy (incumbent)	106,542	44.93
	Write-in		793	0.33
Total votes			237,137	100.00
	Republican gain from Democratic–NPL

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Adams (largest city: Hettinger)
• Cass (largest city: Fargo)
• Bottineau (largest city: Bottineau)
• Burke (largest city: Powers Lake)
• Burleigh (largest city: Bismarck)
• Dickey (largest city: Oakes)
• Divide (largest city: Crosby)
• Foster (largest city: Carrington)
• Grant (largest city: Elgin)
• Griggs (largest city: Cooperstown)
• Hettinger (largest city: Mott)
• Kidder (largest city: Steele)
• LaMoure (largest city: LaMoure)
• Logan (largest city: Napoleon)
• McHenry (largest city: Velva)
• McIntosh (largest city: Wishek)
• McKenzie (largest city: Watford City)
• McLean (largest city: Garrison)
• Mercer (largest city: Beulah)
• Morton (largest city: Mandan)
• Pembina (largest city: Cavalier)
• Pierce (largest city: Rugby)
• Renville (largest city: Mohall)
• Richland (largest city: Wahpeton)
• Stark (largest city: Dickinson)
• Stutsman (largest city: Jamestown)
• Walsh (largest city: Grafton)
• Ward (largest city: Minot)
• Wells (largest city: Harvey)
• Williams (largest city: Williston)

See also

• North Dakota's at-large congressional district

References

1. Cadei, Emily (February 12, 2010). "Pomeroy Trails GOP Challenger in North Dakota - The Eye (CQ Politics)". Blogs.cqpolitics.com. Archived from the original on February 17, 2010. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
2. "Election 2010: North Dakota House of Representatives - Rasmussen Reports". Rasmussenreports.com. August 16, 2010. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
3. Public Opinion Strategies
4. Rasmussen Reports
5. The Hill/ANGA
6. Prairie Poll
7. Rasmussen Reports
8. Garin-Hart-Yang
9. Rasmussen Reports
10. Rasmussen Reports
11. Rasmussen Reports
12. Rasmussen Reports
13. Rasmussen Reports
14. Rasmussen Reports
15. Rasmussen Reports
16. "North Dakota Secretary of State".

External links

• Elections and Voting at the North Dakota Secretary of State
• U.S. Congress candidates for North Dakota at Project Vote Smart
• 2010 North Dakota General Election: Rick Berg (R) vs Earl Pomeroy (D) graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com
• House - North Dakota from the Cook Political Report
• North Dakota - At-Large from OurCampaigns.com
• Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets
• 2010 North Dakota - 1st District from CQ Politics
• Race profile at The New York Times

Debates

• North Dakota House Debate on C-SPAN, October 4, 2010 (26:42)