Kent Conrad: “I cast my vote against the term limits constitutional amendment. My service in the Senate began as a result of an…”

“I cast my vote against the term limits constitutional amendment. My service in the Senate began as a result of an election held in North Dakota in the fall of 1986. I won election to the U.S. Senate by defeating an incumbent who served North Dakota for 6 years in the Senate and 17 years in the House. Because of this election, I can appreciate arguments about the power of incumbency. However, most importantly, I appreciate the power of the voters. Voters have the power to vote for the candidate they feel best fits the elective office, whether the person is an incumbent or a challenger. It concerns me that a term limits constitutional amendment would limit the voters' choice to only those persons who are not disqualified because of this amendment. It is my view that in a democracy, voters should be able to choose whomever they want to represent them.”