The 2000 North Dakota gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2000 for the post of
Governor of North Dakota.
IncumbentRepublican Governor
Ed Schafer decided not to run for reelection. Republican nominee
John Hoeven won the election over Democratic State Attorney General
Heidi Heitkamp. Heitkamp had led in the polls until early October, when reports indicated that she had
breast cancer, and would undergo surgery. She ran advertisements to assure voters she was still fit to serve; however, by the final month, Hoeven had taken a six-point lead in polling.[1] As of 2021, this is the most recent North Dakota gubernatorial election in which the Democratic nominee received over 40% of the vote. Hoeven and Heitkamp later served alongside each other in the
United States Senate from 2013 to 2019.