After missed deadlines, ND Democrat George Sinner announces House campaign

By Rob Port | Watchdog.org North Dakota Bureau

BISMARCK, N.D. — After setting and missing multiple self-imposed deadlines for a campaign announcement, state Sen. George Sinner, a Democrat from Fargo, is set to launch a U.S. House campaign against incumbent Republican Kevin Cramer.

Sinner is scheduled to announce his campaign from his family’s business in Casselton, as well as the public library in Bismarck, according to a news release from the North Dakota Democratic Party.

It’s been a long, winding road to an announcement for Sinner. In October 2013, the Fargo Democrat told media he would announce a campaign around the end of the year. On Dec. 29, the Bismarck Tribune reported that Sinner would make a campaign announcement “next week.” Then the Forum News Service reported that Sinner would make an announcement on Feb. 1.

A month and a half after that deadline, Democrats finally are getting their candidate in the race.

During the 2012 election cycle, Democrat House candidate Pam Gulleson launched her campaign in November 2011. Libertarian Party candidate Jack Seaman announced his 2014 campaign last year.

Sinner appears to be facing an uphill climb in his campaign. Cramer’s campaign ended 2013 with more than $292,000 in cash on hand, according to the Federal Elections Commission, and early polling conducted by a conservative group shows him with a wide lead among voters.

The North Dakota-based Brighter Future Alliance, which describes itself as “a 501c4 nonprofit committed to promoting the free enterprise system and pro energy development public policy,” released polling showing Cramer with 50.25 percent support compared to Sinner’s 30.5 percent. Seaman came in at 3.5 percent. Fifteen percent of respondents were undecided.

The poll was conducted from March 5-9, with a random digit dialing sample of 400 complete interviews and a margin of error of 5 percentage points.

Sinner may enjoy some name recognition, however. He shares all but the middle initial of his name with his father George A. Sinner, North Dakota’s governor from 1985 to 1992.

You can reach Rob Port at rport@watchdog.org.

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