▁By ron ▁D organ ▁won ▁the ▁Democratic ▁primary ▁election . ▁ ▁Con rad ▁received ▁an ▁opportunity ▁to ▁remain ▁in ▁the ▁Senate ▁when ▁North ▁Dak ota ' s ▁other ▁sen ator , ▁long - ser ving ▁Dem - N PL er ▁Qu entin ▁Bur d ick , ▁died ▁on ▁September ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁Bur d ick ' s ▁wid ow , ▁J oc ely n ▁Bir ch ▁Bur d ick , ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁seat ▁tempor arily , ▁but ▁a ▁special ▁election ▁was ▁needed ▁to ▁fill ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁term . ▁View ing ▁this ▁opportunity ▁as ▁different ▁from ▁running ▁for ▁re e lection , ▁Con rad ▁ran ▁for ▁and ▁won ▁the ▁Democratic - N PL ' s ▁nom ination . ▁He ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁special ▁election , ▁and ▁was ▁sw orn ▁in ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁res ign ing ▁his ▁original ▁Senate ▁seat ▁the ▁same ▁day . ▁( Con rad ' s ▁original ▁Senate ▁seat ▁was ▁then ▁filled ▁by ▁D organ , ▁via ▁appointment ▁by ▁the ▁governor ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁to ▁fill ▁the ▁seat ▁for ▁the ▁brief ▁period ▁until ▁he ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁sw orn ▁in ▁under ▁normal ▁circumstances .) ▁ ▁Despite ▁North ▁Dak ota ' s ▁Republican ▁lean ings , ▁Con rad ▁was ▁comfort ably ▁re elect ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 — a ▁year ▁when ▁Republic ans ▁won ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁Cong r