He was perhaps best known as the executive director of the North Dakota Centennial Commission.
Former North Dakota Legislator and chairman of the Democratic NPL Party, S. F. “Buckshot” Hoffner, has died. He was 91.
"S. F." stands for Sebastian Fabian.
Hoffner was a long time Democratic NPL activist. In 1958, he was a leader in the movement to make the NPL (Non-Partisan League) a part of the Democratic Party. He was elected to the Legislature in 1962, and was part of the 1965 session, where Democrats held a majority of House seats. He ran for Congress in 1966, losing to incumbent Republican Mark Andrews. He became the executive director of the Democratic NPL Party in 1967, then won another election to the House in 1968. He moved to the state Senate in 1972, and served three terms as the minority floor leader.
In 1980, Hoffner left the Senate to run for Agriculture Commissioner, but lost to Republican Kent Jones. He came back to the North Dakota House in 1982, becoming one of five North Dakota Democratic legislators to serve in two sessions where Democrats held the House Majority.
"One of the thinks Buckshot did in his long career is the open records law," said former North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Sarah Vogel. "So, when citizens of this state can go to a state agency and ask for a record, and get the record, or attend a meeting and not be locked out, it's 'Thank you, Buckshot.'"
In the 1984 campaign for the party’s nomination, Hoffner traveled the state in a single car with three other hopefuls – George Sinner, Walter Hjelle (yell-ee) and former Governor Art Link. Sinner won the nomination – and the election.
Former Bismarck State Senator and former Democratic Party official Tracy Potter traveled with the four candidates in that 1984 campaign.
"I heard him speak 100 times," said Potter. "I swear the guy was outstanding. Sometimes you would look at him and think, he has an aura around him. He was such an engaging character."
Later, Sinner appointed Hoffner to be the executive director of the state Centennial Commission. That commission planned the state’s 1989 Centennial celebration, held over the July 4th weekend that drew over 100,000 people to the state Capitol. Hoffner also started “Buckstop Junction,” an historical site east of Bismarck.