Ed Schafer

Edward Thomas " Ed" Schafer ( born August 8, 1946 in Bismarck, North Dakota ) is an American politician of the Republican Party. He was from 1992 to 2000 Governor of the State of North Dakota and 2008-2009 Minister of Agriculture in the cabinet of U.S. President George W. Bush.

Early years and political beginnings

Ed Schafer attended until 1969 the University of North Dakota and then the University of Denver. After graduating, he worked in the craft his father's company, whose director he was 1978-1985. Schafer began his political career in 1990 when he took in elections to the U.S. House of Representatives and 35 percent of the vote to Democrat Byron Dorgan achieved moderate success.

Governor of North Dakota

In the gubernatorial election in North Dakota, he was not the favorite after the resignation of the popular incumbent George Sinner. However, there was an internal party preselection between the two rival candidates of the Democrats, Attorney General Nicholas Spaeth and Senate President William S. Heigaard. Heigaard won the first National Convention, while Spaeth, an abortion opponents and proponents of government investment to economic development, the primaries held in June 1992 with 65:35 percent chose for themselves.

In the elections, economic development was the central theme. Spaeth, who sponsored the state growth plan ( Growing North Dakota Plan), Schafer accused during the campaign to take advantage of loans and tax cuts under this plan for its own economic interests. Schafer sat down, however, one for municipal and private sector funding. When choosing Schafer reported a significant majority of 58 percent over Spaeth, who received only 41 percent of the vote. Here, Schafer could win in all major cities and in 40 of the 47 electoral districts. In addition, he received 60 percent of the votes in the under 60 -year-old voters, while Spaeth scored on the other hand 55 percent of the vote in the over 60 year old voters. This was Schafer successor of George Sinner as governor of North Dakota.

After two years in office, he pursued a policy of tax reduction and a " small government " ( rightsizing government). For the creation of 15,000 new jobs and the increase in population for more than ten years, he has largely received recognition. The Republican Party in 1994 was not only the state elections, but also the control of the State Senate. Schafer has been increasingly popular and received at his re- election as governor in 1996 with 66 percent of the vote, an overwhelming majority against the Democratic Senator Lee Kaldor. In 2000, he was replaced as governor by his party colleague John Hoeven.

More career

Schafer renounced in 2004 forward to competing against U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan, although leading Republicans urged him to run in this election. In January 2008, he was nominated by President Bush to succeed Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns. Kent Conrad, the second democratic U.S. Senator from North Dakota, pleaded for an earlier hearing by the Senate, to allow Schafer, who attend State of the Union Address as a Cabinet member. This became possible after the Senate had unanimously confirmed his appointment.

After the inauguration of the new President Barack Obama Schafer was replaced in January 2009 by Tom Vilsack.