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N.D. (AP) – North Dakota’s Republican chairman says Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Heidi Heitkamp and House hopeful Pam Gulleson should join the GOP.

Stan Stein was reacting to statements Heitkamp and Gulleson made during debates with Republican opponents Rick Berg and Kevin Cramer on Wednesday.

Heitkamp and Gulleson both supported developing North Dakota’s oil and coal resources, and Heitkamp was critical of Democratic President Barack Obama’s energy policies. Heitkamp backed reducing the national corporate income tax rate.

Stein says the two candidates are trying to hide from their support for Obama.

Spokespeople for Heitkamp and Gulleson say the two Democrats won’t be turning Republican. A spokesman for Heitkamp says she doesn’t support cutting Medicare and reducing crop insurance for farmers.

A spokeswoman for Gulleson says neither party has a monopoly on good ideas.