Podcast: Cramer Says Democrats “Should Be Greatly Relieved” He’s Not Running for Senate

Below is the audio from today’s radio show. Remember you can get the audio delivered to your devices every day by subscribing to the podcast.

“They should be greatly relieved,” Congressman Kevin Cramer told me of Democrats reacting to his decision not to run for the U.S. Senate.

I had asked Cramer about some saying he chose not to run because he felt he couldn’t beat incumbent Heidi Heitkamp. “My poll numbers are really good,” he said, though he tempered that optimism by pointing out that strong polling “doesn’t mean it’s automatic.”

He said he prefers the legislative chamber he current serves in. “I really am a man of the House,” he said adding that he enjoys the two-year election cycles House members are obligated to.

As for Heitkamp, he said she’s “well liked” and someone he enjoys being around but “she has really low re-elect numbers.” He said he expects other Republican candidates to get into the Senate race in addition to state Senator Tom Campbell who has already been campaigning for months. “I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a primary,” he said.

Attorney Josh Swanson of the Vogel Law Firm also joined me today. He represents a family with mineral rights interests under Lake Sakakawea. He reacted to a lawsuit filed by, among others, Democratic state Rep. Marvin Nelson arguing that the state is “giving away” billions in revenues by not claiming ownership of mineral rights under the lake. Swanson pointed out that the state Supreme Court has already sided with his clients and that, further, even if the state did get ownership of the mineral rights they’d have to compensate private owners for taking them.

Here’s the full audio of today’s show:

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