Bismarck senator elected Senate president pro tem

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Bismarck Sen. Ralph Kilzer has been chosen as the North Dakota Senate's new president pro tempore.

The job involves presiding over Senate sessions when the lieutenant governor is absent.

Kilzer replaces Dickinson Sen. Rich Wardner. Kilzer will have the job until the next regular session of the Legislature begins in January 2013.

Kilzer is a Republican. The GOP has the majority in the North Dakota Senate, and Kilzer defeated Democrat Richard Marcellais (MAR’-sel-ayz) on Friday to win the job.

Kilzer is a 76-year-old orthopedic surgeon. He was first elected to the Senate in 1998 after spending two years in the North Dakota House.

He was re-elected to his most recent four-year term in 2010.

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