– GOP endorses Stenehjem & Poolman for gov/lt. gov

Fargo, ND (WDAY TV) – Sat, the GOP selected Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem as the Republican candidate for governor of North Dakota. On Sunday, State Senator Nicole Poolman, of Bismarck, was picked to run for lieutenant governor.

Stenehjem ran against Fargo businessman Doug Burgum and state Rep. Rick Becker of Bismarck for the nomination.

The votes were tallied up for a second time around 4:00 p.m. Saturday at the Republican National Convention in Fargo at Scheels Arena.

Stenehjem won with 823 votes or 50.82% of the vote. He needed 819 votes to win the majority.

Becker came in second with 618 votes or 37.75% of the vote.

Burgum came in third with 157 votes or 9.59% of the vote.

1637 delegates were present at the convention.

This first round of voting saw Stenehjem with 47% of the vote with 769 votes, Becker at 35.9% of the vote with 587 votes and Burgum with 15.1% of the vote with 247 votes.

It was the party’s first three-way race for governor since 1992. Doug Burgum, a Fargo entrepreneur will continue on to the June Primary election.

Poolman, (Bismarck), has been in the state senate since 2013. She’s also a teacher at Century High School and a board member for the Anne Carlsen Center, an advocacy group for those with disabilities.