North Dakota Republican John Hoeven seeks third Senate term

By JAMES MacPHERSON
Associated Press

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Republican John Hoeven faces a defector from his own party and a lightly funded Democrat on Tuesday in his race for a third U.S. Senate term from North Dakota. Rick Becker narrowly lost the party’s endorsement to Hoeven in April. After originally saying he wouldn’t run if he didn’t get the endorsement, the Bismarck plastic surgeon who has led a growing far-right faction of the GOP in North Dakota decided to run as an independent. Katrina Christiansen, a University of Jamestown engineering professor and political newcomer, is the Democratic candidate.