Nate Silver at the New York Times gives Republican Rick Berg’s chances of winning North Dakota’s Senate race a slight downgrade, from “likely Republican” to “leans Republican,” but according to his analysis the only thing Heitkamp really has going for her are those partisan polls commissioned from Democrat pollsters which he says “exaggerate” Heitkamp’s standing. [...]Similar News >>

According to Forum Communications reporter Teri Finneman, yet another member of the State Board of Higher Education is resigning. SBHE member Mike Haugen announced his resignation at the end of his first term earlier this year. Claus Lembke announced the resignation of his term early just weeks ago, and now Ritchie Smith whose second term [...]Similar News >>

US House candidate Kevin Cramer got a big endorsement today. FreedomWorks, the conservative group founded by former congressman (and North Dakota native) Dick Armey gave him an endorsement over his primary opponent Brian Kalk. FreedomWorks VP for Policy and Government Affairs Max Pappas just tweeted the news: @FreedomWorks PAC has endorsed @kevincramer for Congress in [...]Similar News >>

“Creative” isn’t usually an adjective one would assign to advertising put out by state legislative candidates – at least not in North Dakota anyway – but had a chuckle over this one put out by state Senator Joe Miller. Senator Miller was lumped into the same district as Senator Curtis Olafson. Miller won the district [...]Similar News >>

“The housing bubble was obvious; just look at any graph on housing prices.”  Hindsight seems 20-20 in many cases, and the housing bubble is no exception.  That is because after bubbles burst, they seem obvious.  However, not all bubbles appear obvious to all.  For instance, the education bubble carries its doubters.  While some agree that the costs [...]Similar News >>

Via Mark Perry, here’s an excerpt of testimony by a Governor Accountability Office official about the Green River Formation near the Rocky Mountains (encompassing parts of Utah, Colorado and Wyoming) which has more recovarable oil than all the proven reserves in the whole world: The Green River Formation—an assemblage of over 1,000 feet of sedimentary [...]Similar News >>

This recent report from Petroleum News has been getting a lot of attention both inside of North Dakota and outside of the state. According to the contents, North Dakota’s economic success is about more than just oil. It’s about a “business friendly” environment that has promoted a “diversified economy.” Throw in a bunch more of [...]Similar News >>

Does 2+2 add up to 4 in Heidi Heitkamp’s universe? One has to wonder, because what she proposes for a balanced budget solution isn’t just objectionable from the perspective of conservative ideology. It’s wrong on basic math. “Instead of actually making the tough decisions, Congress simply kicks the can down the road with gimmicks that [...]Similar News >>

I was in Bismarck yesterday to watch my daughter participate in the Bismarck Band Parade. It’s a pretty big deal as school marching bands from all over the region turn out to participate. And parades in general are a pretty big deal in state politics. So it was interesting to me when pretty much every [...]Similar News >>

You wouldn’t think they’d need this sort of training given how often the left plays the race card, but I guess you don’t get to be the best without practice. According to the Washington Examiner: The prepared content of a Tuesday presentation to the House Democratic Caucus and staff indicates that Democrats will seek to [...]Similar News >>

In Grand Forks a bar/restaurant popular with UND students, which just happens to be owned by the friend of a a mayoral candidate named Tyrone Grandstand who is a recent graduate from UND, is offering free rides to the polls and then free beer to voters. The matter is currently under investigation, but despite booze-for-votes [...]Similar News >>

As I noted earlier today, liberal Democrat House candidate Pam Gulleson has been sort of hiding in the shadows of Heidi Heitkamp’s campaign, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t talked a little bit about the sort of policies she’d support if elected. A reader flags these comments, from a Bismarck Tribune article in early April, [...]Similar News >>

As someone who believes the government ought not be telling individuals who they can marry, and churches what sort of marriage ceremonies they can hold, I applaud President Obama for finally seeing the light on gay marriage whatever his motivations. But can we cut out some of the gushing about the supposedly “historic” nature of [...]Similar News >>

The City of Cavalier has passed a ban on smoking on private property including restaurants, bars and places of work. The city is the 8th in the state to do so, but this from the Associated Press is interesting: BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A state agency that administers money from a tobacco settlement says Cavalier [...]Similar News >>

Of all the Democrat candidates in North Dakota, liberal Senate candidate Heidi Heitkamp has gotten the most attention. Mostly because of a concerted effort by her campaign and the Democrat party to manufacture a narrative about the strength of her campaign. Democrats really, really want to hold on to Senator Kent Conrad’s seat, and the [...]Similar News >>

The headline is from a Medora-area resident quoted in this article about local push back against a planned property development, including housing and restaurants, to be built to help serve soaring demand in western North Dakota caused by the oil boom. I think the statement, and the attitude it represents, strikes to the heart of [...]Similar News >>