Heidi Heitkamp

Heidi Heitkamp ( born October 30, 1955) is an American politician and lawyer. From 1993 to 2000 she practiced from the Office of the Attorney General ( Attorney General ) in the state of North Dakota. In the Senate elections in 2012 she applied successfully as a candidate of the Democratic Party for the succession of not more antretenden Kent Conrad. On January 3, 2013, it took up her new post.

Early years and political rise

After completing their education Heidi Heitkamp attended the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts. It was followed by the Juris Doctor from Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland. From 1980 to 1981 she worked as a lawyer at the Environmental Protection Agency. Then they exercised this function for the Office of the Commissioner of Taxes ( Tax Commissioner) of North Dakota.

As Tax Commissioner Kent Conrad stepped down in 1986 to run for the U.S. Senate, Heidi Heitkamp won the election as his successor with 66 percent of the vote. The Tax Commissioner is to manage peak of North Dakota and is since 1940 an elective office. Heitkamp remained until 1992 at this post and was elected as the successor of Nicholas Spaeth to the Attorney General of their state. It was confirmed by the voters in 1996. In its eight years in office they paid special attention to the activities of the tobacco manufacturers and restricted among other things their advertising opportunities.

Candidacy for governor and the U.S. Senate

In 2000, competed Heidi Heitkamp to the Office of the Governor of North Dakota. On the Republican side renounced incumbent Ed Schafer on a bid again. In its place was John Hoeven, CEO of Bank of North Dakota, nominated. Heitkamp, in which a breast cancer was diagnosed during the election campaign, defeated their opponents with 45:55 percent of the vote.

After this defeat and the resignation from the post of Attorney General was Heitkamp member of the Board of Directors of the Dakota Gasification Company. On a run to succeed by U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan they renounced in 2010 after a short cooling-off period; they would be doing again taken at John Hoeven, who clearly won the election against Democrat Tracy Potter. In November 2011, she announced her intention to apply for the succession of not re- candidates U.S. Senator Kent Conrad. For candidates circle also included former Congressman Earl Pomeroy and her own brother Joel Heitkamp, a member of the Senate of North Dakota. However, all other potential candidates renounced ultimately, so that a primary intra-party ceases to exist. Heidi Heitkamp took effect on November 6, 2012 successfully against Republican Congressman Rick Berg on who possessed in most surveys on a lead.