A Warwick farmer and registered nurse is challenging current North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring for the Republican nomination.
"I'm at a point in my life where I have some serious concerns with the way some of our elected officials have managed themselves and conducted themselves in public office," said Judy Estenson at a Bismarck event. "I've grown weary of a government that seems to increase in size and regulatory authority, and has become intrusive in our daily lives, and has eroded the basic property rights of all North Dakotans."
Estenson would not elaborate – and would not answer reporters’ questions, saying she would do so later. Her presentation lasted less than two minutes.
Estenson has the backing of the North Dakota Farm Bureau.
"Over the last several years, our organization has lost confidence in the incumbent Ag Commissioner, through his actions in the public policy field and his poor personal choices regarding the management of his office and staff," said Farm Bureau director of public policy Pete Hanebutt, reading from a prepared statement at the announcement. "For these reasons, North Dakota Farm Bureau has chosen to support an alternative candidate."
Hanebutt also did not take reporters' questions.
Goehring was at one time an employee of the North Dakota Farm Bureau insurance company. He says he's disappointed in what he considers a campaign of innuendo – but he says he’s not deterred.
"I have so many friends out there in the ag community," said Goehring. "I know there has been an attempt to erode that by saying I don't. But the reality is -- we have fought good fights on behalf of agriculture."
Goehring says he hopes people won't fall victim to some of the naysayers and the allegations that exist out there.
Some of the allegations involve personal conduct. The state's human resources division investigated complaints that Goehring referred to some of his women co-workers as a "harem." He also asked a female staffer to walk on his back to help relieve back pain. And he commented that another female co-worker was a "babe in the woods." Goehring says he has apologized for all of those incidents, and has received training to help him avoid those kinds of things in the future.
"I love the work environment around here," said Goehring. "It's a professional environment. But there were some comments made that left things open ended for people to draw their own conclusions. Through that whole process, HR investigated, and deemed no action was necessary."
North Dakota Democrats do not yet have a candidate for Agriculture Commissioner.
