BY: MICHAEL ACHTERLING (North Dakota Monitor)
It may have been unconventional to roll a beat-up pickup onto a political convention floor, but that was in character for Rep. Randy Schobinger. In 1996, that was a resounding success for the Minot lawmaker, according to his friend and former campaign staffer.
Schobinger, 54, who died Tuesday, started his career as North Dakota’s youngest lawmaker but went on to become an experienced mentor.
Former Republican Committeeman Shane Goettle, who worked on Schobinger’s 1996 campaign for state treasurer, recalled how they raised money with a 1972 Toyota truck he received from his grandfather.
“People just came up and started piling the money into the back, it was so fun,” Goettle said. “We were just so elated that this had worked so well … I suppose it was a few thousand dollars.”
Schobinger was not elected state treasurer but served a total of 18 years in the North Dakota Legislature. He was not seeking reelection this fall. His obituary said he died at his home in Tennessee, where he had been planning to retire.
He was regarded as someone who was “even keeled” and extremely knowledgeable, said Rep. Matt Ruby, R-Minot.
“I don’t think I could’ve asked for a better mentor,” said Ruby, who won election to the House while campaigning with Schobinger in 2016.
Schobinger represented the Minot area in the state Senate from 1995 to 2006 and in the House from 2017 to 2024.
Ruby said when Schobinger stood up to speak from the House floor, everyone listened.
Some of Ruby’s fondest memories of his fellow lawmaker, whom he described as a “brother,” were waving signs from street corners in the lead-up to an election and the conversations they would have while collecting yard signs following those elections.
“After we won, the day after we would put up ‘thank you’ signs and we’d do the same corners and wave the signs to thank people,” he said. “He was very gracious to be elected and honored to be bestowed that role as a representative.”
Schobinger was the youngest senator to be elected to the Legislature at that time, Goettle said.
“When he was in his 20s, he was just taking on the world,” Goettle said. “I think a lot of people saw him as, sort of, a young whippersnapper.”
In a statement, Gov. Doug Burgum said Schobinger had a passion for public service and a measured approach that earned the respect of lawmakers throughout the state.
“His support and advocacy for Minot flood control, hub city funding, higher education, tax relief, corrections and rehabilitation – including a new women’s facility – and other initiatives will continue to benefit North Dakotans for many years to come,” Burgum said.
Schobinger served on the House Appropriations Committee as well as the interim Budget, Economic Development and Information Technology committees.
It will be up to the Republican District 40 executive committee to appoint a replacement for Schobinger to serve the remainder of his term, which is through early December.
Ruby, a member of the executive committee, said an appointment will be made within 21 days. He said he did not believe the committee would appoint any District 40 Republican Senate and House candidates to the seat so they would not lose a term of eligibility under the state’s term limits law.
