Dwight Grotberg
Encyclopedia
Dwight Grotberg is a North Dakota
politician and a former Republican
candidate for U.S. Senate in North Dakota. He ran against the Democratic-NPL incumbent, Kent Conrad
, on November 7, 2006, but did not defeat him. Grotberg is an Anderson, North Dakota town councilman and a farmer from Sanborn
in Barnes County
.
Grotberg received the Republican nomination for the Senior U.S. senate seat in North Dakota at the state GOP convention in late March 2006. Despite running for office in the historically conservative
state of North Dakota, Grotberg faced a difficult campaign due to the Senator's name recognition
, long tenure in office, available funds, and popularity.
. After graduating from high school, he traveled to Parana, Brazil
and worked at a livestock
and grain farm run by a mission organization dedicated to training indigenous
people to be self-sufficient and industrious.
After returning home, Grotberg enrolled in Bethany College of Missions
and graduated with a degree in Cross-Cultural Studies
. He then traveled to New Zealand
and worked on farms in the Bay of Islands
to gain a global perspective of farming and its methodologies.
In 1989, he returned to North Dakota and attended North Dakota State University
to study agricultural economics
until 1992. He then moved back to Wimbledon and built a farm of his own on which he currently resides. In 1989, Grotberg married his wife, Alison. They have seven children together, all are currently homeschooled. In 1996, he suffered a spinal cord injury
when his tractor was struck by a semi-truck.
nomination for the U.S. Senate in North Dakota
at the state GOP convention on March 28, 2006 against the Democratic-NPL incumbent Kent Conrad
, who has served since 1986. During the summer of 2006, Dwight started a large grassroots
campaign called Grotberg Grassroots. Governor of North Dakota
John Hoeven
officially announced his endorsement of Grotberg on October 9, 2006. Former North Dakota governor Edward Schafer also announced his endorsement and was quoted as saying "Dwight carries the strong family values that are so dear to North Dakotans." Author and commentator David Limbaugh
also expressed his support of Grotberg and gave a speech at his campaign fundraiser in Fargo, North Dakota
. Dwight placed billboards throughout the state in early October 2006 and began airing television ads in late October. Grotberg lost the election 30% to 68%.
Dwight Grotberg has been very outspoken about keeping the current tax cuts made under the Bush Administration
and also supports abolition of the estate tax. On social issures, Grotberg claims that his conservative
viewpoints are more reflective of North Dakota than the views of incumbent Kent Conrad. For example, in 2004, North Dakota voters approved a state ban on gay marriage, while Senator Conrad voted no on a constitutional ban of gay marriage. Grotberg also promises to bring changes to the Farm Bill in 2007, should he be elected, something which he says that Senator Conrad has failed to do during his tenure.
, he had difficulty raising adequate amounts of money to compete with the millions of out of state dollars that Kent Conrad
received. Conrad had raised $5.9 million dollars by September 30, 2006, but 93% of the funds came from out of state contributors. Grotberg raised a little over $85,000 dollars by September 30, but all of his money came from within the state.
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
politician and a former Republican
North Dakota Republican Party
The North Dakota Republican Party is the North Dakota affiliate of the United States Republican Party. The party platform is generally conservative.The North Dakota Republican Party is strongly in control of the state's politics...
candidate for U.S. Senate in North Dakota. He ran against the Democratic-NPL incumbent, Kent Conrad
Kent Conrad
Kent Conrad is the senior United States Senator from North Dakota. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party...
, on November 7, 2006, but did not defeat him. Grotberg is an Anderson, North Dakota town councilman and a farmer from Sanborn
Sanborn, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 194 people, 74 households, and 54 families residing in the city. The population density was 357.0 people per square mile . There were 80 housing units at an average density of 147.2 per square mile...
in Barnes County
Barnes County, North Dakota
-National protected areas:*Hobart Lake National Wildlife Refuge*Stoney Slough National Wildlife Refuge*Tomahawk National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
.
Grotberg received the Republican nomination for the Senior U.S. senate seat in North Dakota at the state GOP convention in late March 2006. Despite running for office in the historically conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
state of North Dakota, Grotberg faced a difficult campaign due to the Senator's name recognition
Name recognition
Name recognition is a concept used in politics to describe the number of people who are aware of a politician. It is considered an important factor in elections, as candidates with low name recognition are unlikely to receive votes from people who only casually follow politics. Name recognition is...
, long tenure in office, available funds, and popularity.
Biography
Dwight Grotberg was born in 1967 and raised on a farm near Wimbledon, North DakotaWimbledon, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 237 people, 111 households, and 68 families residing in the city. The population density was 512.3 people per square mile . There were 126 housing units at an average density of 272.4 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 97.89% White, 0.42%...
. After graduating from high school, he traveled to Parana, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and worked at a livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
and grain farm run by a mission organization dedicated to training indigenous
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
people to be self-sufficient and industrious.
After returning home, Grotberg enrolled in Bethany College of Missions
Bethany College of Missions
Bethany College of Missions, or BCOM, is a non-accredited private evangelical Christian college that has been training missionaries since 1949...
and graduated with a degree in Cross-Cultural Studies
Cross-cultural studies
Cross-cultural studies, sometimes called Holocultural Studies, is a specialization in anthropology and sister sciences that uses field data from many societies to examine the scope of human behavior and test hypotheses about human behavior and culture. Cross-cultural studies is the third form of...
. He then traveled to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and worked on farms in the Bay of Islands
Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is an area in the Northland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Located 60 km north-west of Whangarei, it is close to the northern tip of the country....
to gain a global perspective of farming and its methodologies.
In 1989, he returned to North Dakota and attended North Dakota State University
North Dakota State University
North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, more commonly known as North Dakota State University , is a public university in Fargo, North Dakota. NDSU has about 14,000 students and it is the largest university in North Dakota based on full time students and land size...
to study agricultural economics
Agricultural economics
Agricultural economics originally applied the principles of economics to the production of crops and livestock — a discipline known as agronomics. Agronomics was a branch of economics that specifically dealt with land usage. It focused on maximizing the crop yield while maintaining a good soil...
until 1992. He then moved back to Wimbledon and built a farm of his own on which he currently resides. In 1989, Grotberg married his wife, Alison. They have seven children together, all are currently homeschooled. In 1996, he suffered a spinal cord injury
Spinal cord injury
A spinal cord injury refers to any injury to the spinal cord that is caused by trauma instead of disease. Depending on where the spinal cord and nerve roots are damaged, the symptoms can vary widely, from pain to paralysis to incontinence...
when his tractor was struck by a semi-truck.
2006 Senate race
Grotberg sought and received the RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nomination for the U.S. Senate in North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
at the state GOP convention on March 28, 2006 against the Democratic-NPL incumbent Kent Conrad
Kent Conrad
Kent Conrad is the senior United States Senator from North Dakota. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party...
, who has served since 1986. During the summer of 2006, Dwight started a large grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
campaign called Grotberg Grassroots. Governor of North Dakota
Governor of North Dakota
The Governor of North Dakota is the chief executive of North Dakota. The current Governor is Jack Dalrymple. The Governor has the right to sign and laws, and to call the Legislative Assembly, into emergency session. The Governor is also chairman of the North Dakota Industrial Commission. The...
John Hoeven
John Hoeven
John Henry Hoeven III is the junior United States Senator from North Dakota. He is a member of the North Dakota Republican Party. He is expected to become the state's senior senator when Kent Conrad retires from the Senate in January 2013.Hoeven served as the 31st Governor of North Dakota,...
officially announced his endorsement of Grotberg on October 9, 2006. Former North Dakota governor Edward Schafer also announced his endorsement and was quoted as saying "Dwight carries the strong family values that are so dear to North Dakotans." Author and commentator David Limbaugh
David Limbaugh
David Limbaugh is a conservative American political commentator and author.-Biography:Limbaugh was born on December 11, 1952 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. He is the younger brother of talk radio host Rush Limbaugh...
also expressed his support of Grotberg and gave a speech at his campaign fundraiser in Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
. Dwight placed billboards throughout the state in early October 2006 and began airing television ads in late October. Grotberg lost the election 30% to 68%.
Positions on the issues
George W. Bush administration
The presidency of George W. Bush began on January 20, 2001, when he was inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States of America. The oldest son of former president George H. W. Bush, George W...
and also supports abolition of the estate tax. On social issures, Grotberg claims that his conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
viewpoints are more reflective of North Dakota than the views of incumbent Kent Conrad. For example, in 2004, North Dakota voters approved a state ban on gay marriage, while Senator Conrad voted no on a constitutional ban of gay marriage. Grotberg also promises to bring changes to the Farm Bill in 2007, should he be elected, something which he says that Senator Conrad has failed to do during his tenure.
Campaign funding
Because Grotberg faced a popular twenty-year incumbentIncumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
, he had difficulty raising adequate amounts of money to compete with the millions of out of state dollars that Kent Conrad
Kent Conrad
Kent Conrad is the senior United States Senator from North Dakota. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party...
received. Conrad had raised $5.9 million dollars by September 30, 2006, but 93% of the funds came from out of state contributors. Grotberg raised a little over $85,000 dollars by September 30, but all of his money came from within the state.