2000 North Dakota gubernatorial election
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The 2000 North Dakota gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2000 for the post of Governor of North Dakota. Incumbent Republican governor Ed Schafer decided not to run for reelection. Republican nominee John Hoeven won the election over Democratic State Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp. Heitkamp had led in the polls until early October, when reports indicated that she had breast cancer, and would undergo surgery. She ran advertisements to assure voters she was still fit to serve; however, by the final month, Hoeven had taken a six-point lead in polling.[1] As of 2026, this is the most recent North Dakota gubernatorial election in which the Democratic nominee received over 40% of the vote. Hoeven and Heitkamp later served alongside each other in the United States Senate from 2013 to 2019.
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November 7, 2000
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 County results Hoeven: 50–60% 60–70% Heitkamp: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Candidates
Democratic
Republican
- John Hoeven, President of the Bank of North Dakota
Campaign
Debates
- Complete video of debate, September 13, 2000
- Complete video of debate, October 18, 2000
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John Hoeven | 159,255 | 55.03% | −11.16% | |
| Democratic–NPL | Heidi Heitkamp | 130,144 | 44.97% | +11.16% | |
| Write-ins | 13 | 0.00% | |||
| Majority | 29,111 | 10.06% | −22.32% | ||
| Turnout | 289,412 | ||||
| Republican hold | Swing | ||||