Did The NDGOP Bail On Brian Kalk?

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Written By:
Rob Port

Jun 14, 2012
9:48am

Brian Kalk won the NDGOP endorsement for the US House race at the party’s state convention. Kevin Cramer skipped the convention and ran straight to the primary ballot where he beat Kalk.

Now some are blaming Kalk’s loss on the fact that some in the party – notably people like Governor Jack Dalrymple and Senator John Hoeven – didn’t back him over Cramer. Among those Chris Berg and Joel Heitkamp:

I always have to laugh when Joel Heitkamp speaks from his abundance of concern for the North Dakota Republican party. Because I’m sure Heitkamp is oh-so-concerned about the health of the party and not sowing the seeds of faction as a way to boost the chances of Democrats – including his sister – winning against Republicans in November.

I don’t think Heitkamp or Berg are right about this. Kalk didn’t lose because Dalrymple, Hoeven, etc. didn’t get behind him. Dalrymple, Hoeven, etc. didn’t get behind Kalk because they didn’t feel like he could win.

During the discussion Berg and Heitkamp compare the situation to Obama not backing Tom Barrett against Scott Walker in the Wisconsin recall. That’s apt, but Obama didn’t got to Wisconsin because Obama knew Barrett was going to lose. He didn’t want to be tied to a losing campaign.

Neither did Dalrymple or Hoeven.

I also think Cramer’s victory shows just how out-of-touch the NDGOP party establishment is. The convention picked Kalk, but the people picked Cramer. I think the party needs to think long and hard about why that happened.