Incumbent Governor Jack Dalrymple succeeded to the office when then-Governor John Hoeven resigned to take a seat in the U.S. Senate in 2010.

Dalrymple, a member of the Republican Party, won election to a full term.

Dalrymple defeated Fargo architect Paul Sorum who later ran as an Independent.

[2] On July 5, 2012, it was announced that Riemers will not appear on the ballot because his running mate, Richard Ames, failed to file a page of his paperwork.

[3] On September 12, 2012, after being disqualified from appearing on the November ballot, Roland Riemers, a libertarian now running as an independent with Anthony Johns, said in a news release that he had submitted more than 1,100 signatures to the secretary of state.