Democratic-NPL’s current Senate candidate raises less money than … Heidi Heitkamp’s campaign?

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MINOT, N.D. — When it comes to campaigns, incumbents have lots of advantages.

One is name recognition. An incumbent doesn’t get to be an incumbent unless a majority of voters have cast a ballot for them before.

Another is fundraising. Incumbents can raise money for their campaign from the first day after their last campaign. Challengers, meanwhile, usually have to start from scratch.

And, in North Dakota, it also helps a whole lot to be a Republican, as the numbers you’re about to look at show.

At the federal level, North Dakota has two incumbents on the ballot this cycle, both Republicans. Sen. John Hoeven is running for a third six-year term, and Congressman Kelly Armstrong is seeking his third two-year term.

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