Wayne Stenehjem

Infobox Politician
name = Wayne Stenehjem


imagesize = 200px
caption = Wayne Stenehjem
office = North Dakota Attorney General
term_start = 2000
term_end = present (2010)
predecessor = Heidi Heitkamp
birth_date = Birth date and age|1953|2|5|mf=y
party = Republican

Wayne Stenehjem (b. February 5 1953, Mohall, North Dakota) is a lawyer and politician from the U.S. state of North Dakota. He is the current Attorney General of the state, serving since 2000.

Biography

Wayne Stenehjem was born in Mohall, North Dakota, and he graduated from Bismarck High School in 1971 and Bismarck State College in 1972. He attended the University of North Dakota and the UND School of Law, graduating in 1977. Stenehjem was elected to the North Dakota House of Representatives in 1976, and served two terms there until 1980 when he was elected to the North Dakota Senate. He served in that capacity until 2000 when he became Attorney General of North Dakota. While serving as the Attorney General of North Dakota, Stenehjem proposed legislation to curb methamphetamine use and addiction in the state, by restricting retail sales of certain products used in its manufacture, to provide mandatory treatment for first time drug offenders, and increase criminal penalties for drug offenders. Stenehjem was re-elected in 2004 and 2006, with wide margins - averaging 70% of the vote. He is married to Beth Bakke Stenehjem, and has one son, Andrew. He is also the brother of North Dakota Senate Majority Leader Bob Stenehjem.

Stenehjem was considered a possible candidate for Governor of North Dakota if John Hoeven were not to have sought a third term, however Hoeven has confirmed he will be running again. Stenehjem is now being looked at as a possible candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives to challenge incumbent Earl Pomeroy.

Career

*North Dakota House of Representatives (1976—1979)
*North Dakota Senate (1980—2000)
**Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee (1995—2000)
*North Dakota Attorney General (2001—present)