Berg gets fewer N.D. GOP votes

BISMARCK (AP) — North Dakota Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rick Berg pulled fewer votes than other Republicans at the top of the state’s ticket.

A University of North Dakota political science professor said Democratic candidate Heidi Heitkamp did a better job getting supporters to the polls.

Mark Jendrysik said Heitkamp had a more charismatic campaign style and better television advertising than Berg.

He said Heitkamp appeared to enjoy campaigning more.

Heitkamp beat Berg by about 3,000 votes. Berg got about 30,000 fewer votes than Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Berg lost his home county, Cass County, by 10,000 votes.

Berg said he can’t speculate on why he didn’t do as well as other Republicans. He said former President Bill Clinton’s last-minute campaign visit to Fargo probably helped Heitkamp.

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