Ed Schafer: I’m Not Interested In Being Governor Again

Tweet

Written By:
Rob Port

May 4, 2011
3:31pm

This is pretty much the same answer Schafer gave me after my post yesterday highlighting comments which sure made it seem like he was considering another run.

BISMARCK — Former Gov. Ed Schafer said today that he is not interested in serving again as North Dakota’s governor.

Conservatives have pointed to a possible gubernatorial run in 2012 for Schafer, who has been vocal about his concerns of the North Dakota Legislature’s spending this session.

When asked flat out if he was interested in running, Schafer said, “I’m not.”

“My only point was I think that we are developing, building a government that we’re not going to be able to afford in the future,” he said.

The Legislature approved a nearly $10 billion budget before it adjourned last week, which includes $4 billion in general fund spending.

Schafer, who was governor from 1992 to 2000, said the state is becoming too dependent on oil, “a cyclical commodity,” as a revenue source.

Schafer said he made comments that he might have to “come in to mop it up again” if the state finds itself in the same financial situation it had after the 1980s oil crash.

But he said running for governor is not something he wants to do, and he is not interested in being drafted.

Here’s what I wish would happen: I wish Schafer would announce that he’ll challenge Governor Jack Dalrymple in a primary competition if Dalrymple announces a campaign for a second term. If Schafer could neutralize Dalrymple we could close the book on the Hoeven era entirely, which has seen a rate of growth in state government over the last decade that’s been faster than the federal government’s with all its excesses.

And by closing the book on the Hoeven era we open the field up to other candidates.