Schneider says he hasn't ruled out running for Conrad's Senate seat

Jasper Schneider said Wednesday he is not ruling out a run for the Senate in 2012 after Sen. Kent Conrad announced Tuesday he would not seek re-election.

Schneider, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development state director, was in Jamestown Wednesday to discuss USDA’s involvement in rural communities to the South Central Dakota Regional Council. He is a graduate of Jamestown College and Hamline University of Law.

The former District 21 Rep. and legal council to Conrad lost a state-wide election to Adam Hamm in 2008 for North Dakota insurance commissioner with 49.7 of the vote.

“I do want to run again someday,” he said, “I don’t know if it’s going to be 2012 yet.”

Schneider told the SCDRC that Conrad called him Monday to notify him of Tuesday’s announcement.

“He really wants to focus on being the best senator he can be over the next few years,” he told the council.

Schneider said he was shocked by Conrad’s decision, and that North Dakota has done extremely well under the old congressional delegation.

At this time, he said he has not considered forming a committee to look into the possibility of a Senate run.

Sun reporter Ben Rodgers can be reached at 701-952-8455 or by e-mail at brodgers@jamestownsun.com

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