BISMARCK -- A change announced Tuesday in Sen. Byron Dorgan's senior staff means the voters in District 26 will have to elect two new legislators this fall, not just one.
Dorgan, D-N.D., said Tuesday his North Dakota state director for nearly 16 years, Bob Valeu, will retire on May 1. He has also committed to working on Dorgan's 2010 re-election campaign.
Valeu will be replaced by Rep. Pam Gulleson, D-Rutland, who has been in charge of Dorgan's Fargo office for the past six years.
It means Gulleson, a former assistant House minority leader, won't seek re-election to her District 26 House seat, which she has held since 1993.
Gulleson is the second incumbent legislator in District 26 in two days to announce retirement from elective office. On Monday, Sen. Joel Heitkamp, D-Hankinson, announced he would not seek another term because he can't campaign and continue to work his job as a talk show host for KFGO. Heitkamp has been in the Senate since the 1995 session.
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District 26 Democratic-NPL Chairman Jim Dotzenrod of Wyndmere - himself a former state senator - said Tuesday that he appointed a candidate search committee to collect names of possible candidates for Heitkamp's and Gulleson's seats. The district convention is March 1 in Gwinner.
Dotzenrod said he and former Sen. Jerry Kelsh, D-Fullerton, both have an interest in running.
Dorgan's announcement at this early date that Valeu will begin working next year for the senator's 2010 re-election campaign is unusual. Dorgan does not usually make statements about running for re-election; he just does it.
Dorgan could not be reached for comment Tuesday about whether Valeu's early commitment to work on a re-election campaign means the senator expects to be challenged by Gov. John Hoeven in 2010. He did not respond to a series of phone and e-mailed requests made through an aide.
Janell Cole works for Forum Communications Co., which owns The Dickinson Press.
