BISMARCK – North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem has formed a committee to accept campaign contributions toward his likely bid for governor in 2016.
Stenehjem said he created the “Stenehjem for Governor Exploratory Committee” to comply with state campaign disclosure laws after he received unsolicited checks from supporters. He said he’s received nearly $12,000 in contributions so far.
The Republican has said he’s seriously considering a run for the seat currently held by Gov. Jack Dalrymple, who is not seeking a second full term. He told the Bismarck Tribune last week that it’s “more likely than not that I will jump in.”
While he still wouldn’t outright say he’s running Tuesday, “If I was definitely not running, I would have sent those checks back,” he said during a phone interview.
Stenehjem said he doesn’t want to be coy about it, but added, “Most candidates do their formal announcements in November and December, and that’s plenty of time.”
The committee was registered Oct. 6 with the Secretary of State’s Office.
State Rep. Rick Becker of Bismarck is the only Republican so far to confirm that he’s running for governor, with an official announcement scheduled for Monday. State Treasurer Kelly Schmidt, state Sen. Tom Campbell, R-Grafton, and Fargo businessman Doug Burgum also have expressed interest, with Campbell forming an exploratory committee.
