No North Dakota Senate election in 2026.
North Dakota holds Class 3 (John Hoeven, first elected 2010 — next 2028) and Class 1 (Kevin Cramer, first elected 2018 — next 2030). The state has no Class 2 seat, so there is no North Dakota Senate contest in the 2026 cycle.
- John Hoeven (R, Class 3) — former North Dakota Governor (2000–2010); first elected to Senate 2010, re-elected 2016 and 2022. Appropriations Committee; focused on Bakken energy and agriculture. Next election: 2028.
- Kevin Cramer (R, Class 1) — defeated Heidi Heitkamp (D) in 2018 by 10.7 points. Former ND Public Service Commissioner and U.S. Representative (At-Large). Re-elected 2024. Next election: 2030.
- Trump won North Dakota by approximately 33 points in 2024 — one of the most Republican-leaning states in the nation.
- North Dakota has not elected a Democratic senator since Heidi Heitkamp's narrow 2012 victory. She lost her re-election bid in 2018 by 10.7 points to Cramer.
North Dakota's Two Senators in 2026
Former North Dakota Governor for a decade (2000–2010), overseeing the early phase of the Bakken oil boom. In the Senate he sits on the Appropriations Committee, which gives him leverage over federal spending for Minot Air Force Base, Grand Forks AFB, and North Dakota's agriculture and energy sectors. Won his 2022 re-election by over 39 points.
Former North Dakota Public Service Commissioner and U.S. Representative (At-Large, 2013–2019). Defeated Heidi Heitkamp in 2018 — the last genuinely competitive North Dakota Senate race. Aligned closely with Trump's energy and regulatory agenda. Re-elected in 2024 with no significant opposition.
Historical Results — North Dakota Senate Class 3 (Hoeven's Seat)
Byron Dorgan held this Class 3 seat from 1992 until he retired in January 2011. Hoeven flipped it Republican in 2010 by 53.7 points and has held it since. The seat will next be on the ballot in 2028.
Historical Results — North Dakota Senate Class 1 (Cramer's Seat)
Kent Conrad held this Class 1 seat for decades until he retired in 2012. Heidi Heitkamp (D) won the open-seat race that year by fewer than 3,000 votes — the last competitive North Dakota Senate race. Cramer defeated Heitkamp in 2018 and the seat is now solidly Republican. Next election: 2030.
2026 Senate Context & National Landscape
While North Dakota has no competitive Senate race in 2026, the national Senate landscape is highly consequential. Democrats hold a narrow path to a Senate majority, requiring net gains in a map that favors Republicans. The Generic Ballot currently shows Democrats with a significant national advantage, but Senate maps often diverge from House dynamics due to state-specific factors.
Key competitive Senate races in 2026 include Georgia (Ossoff, D), Nevada (Rosen, D), Ohio (special election), Iowa (open seat), and Montana (Daines, R). The outcome of these races will determine Senate control through 2028. See the full Senate 2026 overview for all 33 Class 2 seats and current ratings.
National factors shaping all 2026 races include Trump's approval rating (currently at 38.1% approve, 59.2% disapprove), the economic outlook following Liberation Day tariffs, and immigration enforcement as a mobilizing issue for both base voters. The independent and swing voter bloc will be decisive in competitive states, while safe states like North Dakota are largely insulated from national wave dynamics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does North Dakota have a Senate election in 2026?
No. North Dakota has no Senate election in 2026. John Hoeven (Class 3, first elected 2010) was re-elected in 2022 — his next election is 2028. Kevin Cramer (Class 1, first elected 2018) was re-elected in 2024 — his next election is 2030. North Dakota has no Class 2 Senate seat.
Who are North Dakota's two U.S. Senators?
John Hoeven (R, Class 3, next election 2028) and Kevin Cramer (R, Class 1, next election 2030). Both are Republicans. North Dakota last elected a Democrat to the Senate in 2012 (Heitkamp), who then lost re-election in 2018 by 10.7 points.
When was the last competitive North Dakota Senate race?
Heidi Heitkamp (D) won the 2012 Class 1 open seat race by just 2,994 votes — less than 1 percentage point — over Republican Rick Berg. It was the last genuinely competitive North Dakota Senate contest. Heitkamp lost her 2018 re-election bid to Kevin Cramer by 10.7 points as the state shifted decisively toward Republicans.