Heidi Heitkamp, the Democratic candidate, has argued that she can change the image of the state, and certainly her election would attract attention to North Dakota. This is a considerable asset. But image isn't everything, and it's Hoeven who has the record of success on the ground when it comes to economic development. He knows how to close the deals. When it comes to building North Dakota's economy, that's going to be crucial.
Every candidate comes to the ballot with a certain amount of baggage.
The past is more likely to hamper Heitkamp, who must depend on a range of interest groups competing for attention. A key test came immediately after she won her party's endorsement for governor. Rather than choosing her own running mate, she turned the decision over to the party convention, indicating that she's not always her own person when it comes to important decisions. Hoeven, on the other hand, made his own choice, Jack Dalrymple, one of the founders of Dakota Growers, perhaps North Dakota's most successful venture in value-added agriculture. Heitkamp caught our attention and earned our respect with her emphasis on diversity during her campaign.