FARGO -- North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven will be among the key players helping develop the national Republican Party's platform this summer.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell asked Hoeven to represent Senate Republicans in the trio of party leaders who will help create the document before the national convention in August.
Hoeven will work with a U.S. House member and a state governor in developing the platform.
Hoeven said Tuesday he knows who his counterparts will be, but he's not allowed to reveal them just yet.
The Republican Party plans to formally announce the trio late next week.
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Party platforms typically cover a wide range of themes, topics and policies -- including commonly controversial issues, like health care, marriage and immigration.
"There's a lot of challenging issues out there," Hoeven said, adding that he wants to "focus on the fundamentals that people want to see get done."
Hoeven's team will also work with representatives from all 50 states and presidential candidate Mitt Romney in crafting the party platform.
Hoeven said he'll meet with the group in Tampa, Fla., the week before the convention to refine the platform, make revisions and finalize the document that will ultimately be presented to the national delegates.
Hoeven said he sees his role on the team as someone who should "try to work with everybody and get the job done and do the best job possible."
"I want to make sure that we have a good process for input," Hoeven said, "to make sure that all Republicans get their voices heard."
After 10 years as North Dakota's governor, Hoeven was elected to the Senate in 2010.
Hoeven could not say how unusual it was for a freshman senator to be tasked with this leadership assignment.
