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George Albert Sinner[1] (May 29, 1928 – March 9, 2018) was an American politician who served as the 29th governor of North Dakota from 1985 to 1992. He served two four-year terms and was the most recent governor of North Dakota from his party, the North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party.

Key Information

Early life and education

[edit]

Sinner was born on May 29, 1928,[2][3] in Fargo and was raised in Casselton, the youngest of four children to Albert Francis Sinner, a farmer and bookkeeper for Ford Motor Co.,[4] and his wife, Katherine Augusta Wild.[5][6]

Sinner attended Saint John's Preparatory School, a college prep boarding school in Collegeville, Minnesota, graduating in 1946.[2] In 1950, he received a degree in philosophy from Saint John's University in Collegeville.[2] He served in the United States Air National Guard with the 178th Fighter Squadron[7] from 1950 to 1951 before beginning a career in politics in the late 1950s.[6]

Sinner received honorary doctorate degrees from North Dakota State University, University of North Dakota and his alma mater, St. John's University.[8]

Career

[edit]

Sinner was elected to the North Dakota Senate in 1962.[8] He served one four-year term until 1966, and failed to win reelection.[8] He also ran for United States Congress in North Dakota's 1st congressional district against Mark Andrews in 1964.[6]

Coming from a background of farming, Sinner served as president of the Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association Board from 1975 to 1979. During that time, he chaired an ad hoc farm commodity group that was responsible for funding and constructing the greenhouse complex and the Northern Crops Institute at North Dakota State University in Fargo. He served as a member of many other boards and organizations, including the North Dakota Broadcasting Council and the State Board of Higher Education. During his time on the State Board of Higher Education, he helped craft the "Tri-college" system currently used by NDSU, MSUM and Concordia College, Moorhead. This program allows students attending one of the schools to take classes not offered there at one of the others.[8]

Governor of North Dakota 1985-1992

[edit]

Sinner was elected governor of North Dakota in 1984 and reelected in 1988.[9] The starting date of Sinner's first term was disputed with defeated outgoing Governor Allen I. Olson.[10][9] Sinner held that the term started January 1 and Olson held that the term began on January 6, four years after his own term began.[9] At that time, the date was not clearly set forth in either state law or the state constitution.[9] The North Dakota Supreme Court settled the issue in Sinner's favor on January 5, 1985, one day before Olson would have vacated office anyway.[9] Olson failed to comply with the decision and did not vacate the governor's office until the following day, but Sinner's term was retroactively recognized to have begun on January 1.[9][11]

During Sinner's governorship, North Dakota suffered through the 1980s Midwestern farm crisis and in 1989 celebrated the state's centennial.[6] The North Dakota National Guard was also called to serve in the Gulf War in 1991 as part of Operation Desert Storm.[10] In Sinner's memoir, "Turning Points," published in 2011, he explains his rationale for declaring the nation's first no-smoking policy in a state capitol building and also details the emergency, middle-of-the-night "heart flight" he ordered to deliver a donor heart to a waiting infant recipient in San Francisco. The infant continues to thrive. Sinner did not seek a third term and was succeeded by Republican Ed Schafer.[8]

Later career

[edit]

Following his second term, Sinner served as Vice President of Public and Government Relations for the Crystal Sugar Company in Moorhead, Minnesota.[10] Throughout his career, he remained active in his farming operation near Casselton.[6] Sinner's son George B. Sinner served in the North Dakota Senate from 2013 to 2017.[10]

Personal life

[edit]

Sinner was married to Elizabeth Jane Baute on August 10, 1951, and had 10 children (Robert, George, Elizabeth, Martha, Paula, Mary Jo, James, Gerard, Joseph, and Eric).[7][12] He died on March 9, 2018, at age 89, at Eventide Senior Living Communities, in Fargo, North Dakota. [10] At the time of his death, he was the last surviving North Dakota governor from the Democratic-NPL party.

References

[edit]
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George A. Sinner

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George Albert Sinner (May 29, 1928 – March 9, 2018) was an American farmer and Democratic politician who served as the 29th from 1985 to 1992. Born in Fargo and raised in Casselton, Sinner earned a in from St. John's University in 1950 before serving in the U.S. during the era from 1951 to 1952. He married Elizabeth Jane Baute in 1951, with whom he had ten children, and partnered in the Sinner Brothers and Bresnahan diversified farm operation in Casselton starting in 1952. Sinner held leadership roles in agricultural organizations, including as president of the Growers Association from 1975 to 1979. Entering politics, Sinner served in the from 1962 to 1966, participated in the 1972 state constitutional convention, and was a member of the State Board of Higher Education from to , chairing it in 1970. He represented the state in the in 1982 before winning election as in 1984 and reelection in 1988. During his tenure, Sinner navigated severe economic challenges, including the 1980s farm crisis marked by droughts rivaling those of the 1930s, oversaw North Dakota's statehood centennial celebrations in 1989, and managed the deployment of the North Dakota National Guard to Operation Desert Storm in 1991. He chaired the Interstate Oil Compact Commission and the Western Governors' Association, advocated for agricultural initiatives such as the Northern Crops Institute, and co-chaired the U.S.-Canada Task Force on trade and environment from 1986 to 1987.

Early life and education

Family background and upbringing

George A. Sinner was born on May 29, 1928, in , to Albert Francis Sinner and Katherine Augusta (Wild) Sinner. As the youngest of four children, he experienced a family environment rooted in the agricultural traditions of rural . The Sinner family soon moved to a farm near Casselton, North Dakota, where George spent his formative years immersed in labor and rural community life. Casselton, a small agrarian town in Cass County, exemplified the challenges and self-reliance of Midwestern farming families during the era, shaping Sinner's early work ethic through hands-on involvement in crop cultivation and livestock management. This upbringing on the family homestead fostered a practical orientation toward that influenced his later pursuits.

Formal education

Sinner completed his early education in the public schools of Casselton, , where he grew up on the family farm. He subsequently attended Preparatory School, a college-preparatory boarding institution affiliated with the Benedictine order in Collegeville, , graduating in 1946. Sinner then enrolled at in Collegeville, , earning a degree in in 1950. His choice of major aligned with an early vocational interest in the Catholic priesthood, influenced by his seminary-like preparatory experience, though he ultimately pursued farming and instead. No advanced degrees are recorded in biographical accounts from state historical or governmental sources.

Military service and pre-political career

United States Air Force service

George A. Sinner served in the as a member of the during the . He joined the Guard on April 1, 1951, assigned to the 178th Fighter Squadron based in . His unit was federalized for active duty, during which he was stationed at in , from 1951 to 1952. While on in Georgia, Sinner married Jane Skarstad on August 18, 1951. Following his release from in 1952, he returned to and resumed civilian pursuits. His , though brief, occurred amid the height of U.S. commitments in Korea, with the 178th contributing to air defense and training operations as part of federalized Guard units. No records indicate combat deployment for Sinner personally.

Agricultural and business pursuits

Following his discharge from the in 1951, George A. Sinner returned to Casselton, , and joined the family agricultural enterprise as a partner in Sinner Brothers and Bresnahan, a diversified farm operation. The partnership was established in 1952 by Sinner, his brother Bill, their father Albert, and brother-in-law Ellery Bresnahan, building on the family's longstanding farming legacy that traced back to their grandfather's settlement in the area in 1906. Initial activities centered on crop production, seed sales, and raising for domestic markets, reflecting the practices common in the . Sinner's involvement in the marked his primary pre-political occupation, where he contributed to the of a encompassing grains such as and sugarbeets, alongside operations. This hands-on agricultural work provided practical experience in the challenges of farming, including commodity production and market dependencies, prior to his entry into elective office in 1962. The enterprise remained family-owned and operated, emphasizing self-sufficiency and local sales during its early decades.

Political career

Entry into elective office

Sinner first entered elective office in 1962, when he was elected to the State Senate as a Democrat-Nonpartisan League candidate representing the 10th , which encompassed Casselton and surrounding areas in Cass County. He served one four-year term from 1962 to 1966, during which the legislature addressed issues pertinent to 's agricultural economy and rural infrastructure. Following his Senate tenure, Sinner maintained involvement in state affairs without holding elective office for over a decade, including serving as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention from 1971 to 1972, where revisions to the state constitution were debated and adopted. In 1982, he re-entered elective politics by winning election to the , securing one of the multi-member district seats for Cass County. During his single two-year term ending in 1983, Sinner chaired the House Finance and Tax Committee, focusing on amid emerging economic pressures in farming and sectors. This legislative experience in the early provided the platform for Sinner's subsequent gubernatorial campaign, as he leveraged his background in and prior service to appeal to voters concerned with state budget constraints and rural viability. His return to the legislature in marked a deliberate step toward higher office, culminating in his successful 1984 bid for .

Gubernatorial tenure (1985–1992)

George A. Sinner served as the 29th governor of North Dakota from January 1, 1985, to December 15, 1992, following victories in the 1984 and 1988 elections. His administration navigated profound economic distress, marked by a severe farm crisis driven by droughts rivaling those of the 1930s Dust Bowl era and a sharp downturn in the oil industry after the early 1980s boom. These conditions led to widespread agricultural foreclosures and rural depopulation, prompting Sinner to propose emergency measures such as temporary creditor moratoriums to shield an estimated 5,000 struggling farmers from immediate bankruptcy proceedings. To address ballooning budget deficits amid falling revenues from and , Sinner advanced hikes on income, sales, and gasoline, alongside five rounds of state spending reductions between 1985 and the early . These fiscal adjustments faced resistance, including voter rejection of proposed increases in 1989, yet were implemented to sustain without broader insolvency. Administratively, he restructured the executive branch, reorganizing the Economic Development Commission to enhance efficiency and supporting the establishment of the Parks and Recreation Department to bolster tourism and conservation efforts. In , Sinner vetoed a 1991 legislative bill that sought to enact one of the nation's strictest restrictions, permitting the procedure only to save the mother's life and affirming fetal from conception; as a Roman Catholic, he contended the measure exceeded constitutional bounds by imposing a specific philosophical stance on all citizens. The state House upheld the , preventing enactment. His tenure also encompassed 's statehood centennial celebrations in 1989 and the mobilization of the for Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

Election victories and administrative overview

Sinner secured the governorship in the , 1984, , defeating one-term Republican Allen I. Olson with 173,922 votes to Olson's 140,460, capturing 55.32% of the 314,382 total votes cast. His running mate, Ruth Meiers, was elected alongside him. The Democratic-NPL Party nominee assumed office on January 1, 1985, after the Supreme Court rejected Olson's challenge to the inauguration date, affirming state constitutional provisions. Sinner won reelection on November 8, 1988, against Republican challenger Leon L. Mallberg, garnering 179,094 votes to Mallberg's 119,986 for a 59.88% share of the 299,080 ballots. This victory extended Democratic-NPL control of the executive branch amid national Republican gains in the presidential contest. As the 29th , Sinner's two terms from 1985 to 1992 oversaw North Dakota's response to acute economic pressures, including a driven by the most severe droughts since the and a statewide financial downturn that strained budgets and agricultural sectors. His administration prioritized fiscal management and crisis mitigation, serving as a Democrat in a rural, agriculturally dependent state with a historically competitive partisan landscape.

Economic policies amid farm and oil crises

Sinner's administration confronted a profound economic downturn in , driven by the mid-1980s —marked by plummeting commodity prices, high interest rates from the early , and escalating farm debts—and the collapse of oil prices, which fell from over $30 per barrel in to under $10 by , exacerbating in oil-dependent regions after the 1970s boom. The state also endured severe droughts in the late , the worst since the 1930s , leading to widespread crop failures and further straining agricultural viability. These crises resulted in experiencing more business failures per capita in the than any other state, with farm foreclosures surging and rural communities facing depopulation. To address the farm crisis, Sinner proposed a comprehensive package in 1985, targeting approximately 5,000 struggling farmers—about 15% of the state's total—who faced imminent . The plan leveraged the state-owned to sell $100 million in 10-year certificates to investors, creating a trust fund for new mortgages calculated on land values and projected 1985 crop yields, enabling farmers to refinance debts and fund planting. Repayments were structured flexibly at 8% interest or 30-35% of gross (whichever higher), spread over 10-15 years, with $3.8 million from the state general fund supporting eight regional credit review boards composed of retired bankers and farmers to mediate restructurings. Complementing this, the State Industrial Commission gained authority to delay foreclosures for up to one year or impose county-wide debt moratoriums for six months, providing temporary creditor sanctuary. Sinner also chaired the National Governors Association's Committee on Agriculture and , advocating federally for enhanced support amid the national farm debt wave exceeding $200 billion. For the oil sector, Sinner became the first North Dakota governor to chair the 29-state Interstate Oil Compact Commission, focusing on production conservation and market stabilization during the bust. He directed the Bank of North Dakota to expand lending and economic stabilization roles, countering the second oil boom-bust cycle's job losses and revenue shortfalls, though specific allocations remained tied to broader state banking mandates rather than targeted subsidies. To mitigate overall fiscal impacts, including deficits from lost oil and farm tax revenues, Sinner enacted tax hikes on income, sales, and gasoline, alongside executive branch restructuring for efficiency, while reorganizing the Economic Development Commission to promote diversification beyond extractive industries. These measures, including co-chairing a U.S.-Canada task force for regional trade (1986-1987), aimed at long-term resilience but drew criticism for increasing state burdens amid contraction.

Social policy decisions

During his governorship, Sinner vetoed House Bill 1579 on March 27, 1991, which would have imposed one of the nation's strictest restrictions, permitting the procedure only in cases of , , or serious risk to the mother's life or health. Although personally opposed to and its funding through public resources, Sinner justified the veto on grounds of intervention, stating that "government must not overstep its bounds" or "play God," emphasizing in legislative matters. The House failed to override the , falling short with a 63-43 vote against the required two-thirds majority of 71. Sinner issued an on April 17, 1990, banning in all state-owned buildings, including the capitol, to protect from secondhand smoke exposure amid growing medical evidence of its risks. This policy faced opposition from tobacco interests and some legislators but aligned with emerging national trends in , reflecting Sinner's administration's attention to preventable hazards. In education, Sinner supported reorganization of school districts to enhance instructional quality and efficiency, backing the Joint Powers Act to facilitate inter-district collaborations amid rural population declines. He advocated maintaining state funding levels for K-12 education during fiscal crises, opposing referenda that risked shifting burdens to local property taxes, as seen in the failed 1989 one percent sales tax increase aimed at sustaining such programs. Sinner's administration prioritized reforms emphasizing alternatives to incarceration, including expanded and under Nicholas Spaeth and Corrections Director Warren Emmer, resulting in achieving the nation's lowest incarceration and rates by 1992. Additionally, Jane Sinner led a campaign against teen pregnancy, promoting school-based nurses for counseling and prevention, which gained adoption across many districts despite initial resistance from conservative groups. Sinner also convened the inaugural George Sinner Public Policy Symposium in the late , focusing on the societal impacts of addictive substances like alcohol and drugs to inform state responses.

Criticisms and controversies during governorship

Sinner's assumption of office in January 1985 sparked a brief constitutional dispute with outgoing Republican Governor Allen I. Olson, who refused to vacate the governor's residence until January 7, asserting that his term extended to the start of the new legislative session. Sinner, elected in November 1984, maintained he became governor at midnight on December 31, 1984, per the state constitution's provision that executive terms begin on January 1 following election. The North Dakota Supreme Court, temporarily reconstituted due to vacancies, ruled unanimously on January 5, 1985, affirming Sinner's position and ordering Olson to relinquish authority, effectively resolving a four-day period of overlapping claims to the office. Amid the 1980s farm crisis and oil price collapse, which severely strained North Dakota's budget, Sinner supported and signed legislation in 1987 and 1989 raising state income, sales, and gasoline taxes to avert deficits and fund . Critics, including Republican legislators and fiscal conservatives, argued these hikes burdened struggling farmers and residents during economic hardship, with the 1989 increases—totaling about $100 million annually—prompting successful voter referendums that repealed them later that year. A 1992 analysis by the faulted Sinner's administration for among the highest tax rate increases nationwide, assigning it low grades for fiscal restraint. The "Potato-gate" scandal in 1986 involved a failed state-backed export deal for potatoes to , resulting in $106,000 in unrecovered funds and compensation payouts to farmers from state coffers. Kent Jones oversaw the transaction, which unraveled due to nonpayment by the buyer and allegations of involving department officials. Laurence McMerty, a convicted participant, accused Sinner and Nicholas Spaeth of politically motivated interference in the investigation, claiming they shielded a to undermine Republican-linked figures, though no charges were filed against Sinner and the claims stemmed from a discredited source. Sinner's broader economic stewardship drew Republican criticism for insufficient cuts to government spending and overreliance on tax solutions rather than deregulation or federal aid redirection, contributing to his party's 1992 gubernatorial defeat. Despite these disputes, no major personal ethics violations or corruption charges emerged during his tenure, distinguishing it from more scandal-plagued administrations in other states.

Post-governorship

Continued public involvement

Following the conclusion of his second term as governor on December 15, 1992, Sinner relocated to , and joined American Crystal Sugar Company, a based in , as vice president of public and government relations. In this position, he focused on advocacy for the industry, including extensive lobbying in , to influence federal policies affecting . Sinner held the role until his in 1995. Post-retirement, Sinner sustained involvement in agricultural policy discussions. Leveraging his prior experience as founder and first chairman of the Northern Crops Institute, he authored a reflective article for the organization's 20th anniversary publication in 2003, highlighting collaborative crop research efforts between the United States and other nations. In 2011, he co-authored a memoir, Northern Lights: One Man's Life in North Dakota Politics, with former press secretary Bob Jansen, offering detailed accounts of his governance amid economic hardships and personal insights into state leadership. The book emphasized practical approaches to fiscal and farm crises without endorsing partisan narratives. Sinner occasionally provided public commentary on industry matters thereafter, such as in 2012 when he weighed in on a at American Crystal Sugar, advocating for resolutions aligned with cooperative values amid negotiations involving 1,300 workers and federal mediation. His engagements underscored a commitment to North Dakota's agrarian economy, informed by decades of farming and policy experience, though he avoided formal elected or appointed roles.

Efforts for federal positions

Following his second term as , which ended on December 15, 1992, George A. Sinner pursued a position in the incoming Clinton administration. He lobbied President-elect for appointment as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, leveraging his background as a and his experience addressing North Dakota's agricultural challenges during the 1980s farm crisis. Sinner's efforts were unsuccessful; Clinton selected , a congressman, for the role in early 1993, prioritizing a Southern appointee to broaden geographic representation in the cabinet. After Espy's resignation in 1994 amid ethics investigations, Sinner renewed his bid for the agriculture secretary position. Clinton again declined, appointing Kansas Congressman Dan Glickman instead, citing similar preferences for regional diversity and congressional experience. These overtures represented Sinner's primary documented attempts to secure a federal executive role, though he did not pursue elective federal office such as the U.S. Senate or House. No further bids for federal positions followed, as Sinner shifted focus to private agricultural consulting, board service, and Democratic Party activities in North Dakota.

Personal life and death

Marriage and family

George A. Sinner married Elizabeth Jane Baute of , on August 10, 1951, in , shortly before his deployment with the U.S. Air Force. The couple raised ten children—Robert, George, Elizabeth, Martha, Paula, Mary Jo, James, Gerard, Joseph, and Eric—primarily on the family farm near Casselton, , where Sinner managed agricultural operations alongside his political career. Sinner frequently described his family as a source of profound personal fulfillment, emphasizing his admiration for his wife's intellect and their shared commitment to a large, close-knit household that included grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Elizabeth Jane Sinner, commonly known as Jane, supported her husband's public endeavors while maintaining an active role in community and family life; she died on September 29, 2025, at age 101.

Religious faith and philosophy

George A. Sinner was raised in a devout Catholic family in rural , where his parents instilled a profound Christian ethic emphasizing service to others and truthfulness, though they avoided deep entanglement in church institutional matters. He pursued a vocation to the priesthood, attending St. John's Preparatory School and St. John's University, a Benedictine institution in Collegeville, , for six years as a seminarian, during which he wore the Roman collar and . Influenced by his brother , a Catholic ordained in 1952 who advocated progressive changes like the English-language and officiating marriages for divorced couples despite episcopal opposition, Sinner grappled with doubts about mandatory . Advised by a that could sanctify any life path, he ultimately left seminary around 1951 to marry, viewing the decision as compatible with his faith. Sinner's Catholic informed his personal of , introspection, and , often described by contemporaries as priestly in its and forgiveness toward human frailty. He prioritized candor, helping individuals, and consensus-building in , rejecting arrogance and emphasizing government's role in meeting human needs without overreach. This led him to a 1991 anti- bill restricting the procedure even in cases of or , despite personally disapproving of as involving human life and opposing its public funding; he argued that "government must not play " by enforcing specific religious interpretations, stating, "They want me to be of , not . I can't do that." Sinner critiqued inconsistencies in Catholic teachings on life's beginning, drawing from his education, while maintaining that church doctrine should not dictate state policy. His approach reflected a commitment to causal realism in separating personal convictions from civil authority, fostering a of pragmatic stewardship rooted in but unbound by clerical .

Death

George Albert Sinner died on March 9, 2018, at the age of 89, at Eventide Senior Living in Fargo, North Dakota, where he had resided in his later years. A funeral Mass was held on March 16 at Nativity Catholic Church in Fargo, with a prayer service the previous evening; a private burial followed in Casselton.

Legacy and assessment

Economic stewardship evaluation

During George A. Sinner's governorship from January 1985 to December 1992, confronted severe economic headwinds, including a protracted exacerbated by droughts from 1986 to 1988—the worst since the era—alongside plummeting commodity prices, slumping oil revenues due to national price collapses, and declining coal production that eroded state tax bases. These factors caused biennial general fund revenues to stagnate around $1.1 billion, prompting budget shortfalls that necessitated immediate fiscal restraint. Sinner's administration responded with spending reductions, including a 4% across-the-board cut totaling $45 million in March 1986 and a further 2% reduction in July 1988, while prioritizing protections for and amid the downturn. These measures, combined with professional budget management, helped elevate the state's to A-minus by leveraging the Bank of North Dakota's stability. To address revenue gaps, Sinner advocated targeted tax adjustments, raising the individual rate from 10.5% to 14% effective January 1, 1987, through June 30, 1989, and increasing the via a December 1986 special ; voters upheld the hike in a March 18, 1987, but rejected a proposed 1% expansion in 1989, forcing an additional $98 million cut from the 1989–1991 budget. Critics, including political opponents, labeled these increases burdensome during hardship, yet proponents argued they were essential to avert deeper , as evidenced by partial restorations of $22 million in funding by August 1990 amid nascent recovery signals. Sinner vetoed an initial coal severance tax proposal in but signed a revised 1987 measure incorporating a 2-cent-per-ton research checkoff to fund development, reflecting a pragmatic approach to sustaining sector viability without over-reliance on volatile extraction taxes. In , Sinner expanded the Bank of North Dakota's mandate for community lending, culminating in the 1991 Partnerships Affirming Community Expansion (PACE) program with a $21 million allocation to facilitate relocations and , such as the Marvin Windows facility's move to the state that year. Agricultural relief efforts secured $488 million in federal drought aid for in 1988 as part of a $3.9 billion national package, while energy initiatives preserved the Beulah plant through its $85 million sale in 1988. rates, which hovered around 5.5–5.7% in early 1985, trended lower to 3–4% by the late , undercutting national averages despite regional recessionary pressures, indicating relative resilience. Overall, Sinner's stewardship emphasized crisis mitigation over expansion, stabilizing finances through balanced and strategic investments that laid groundwork for post-term growth, though policies drew contention for shifting burdens onto residents amid exogenous shocks beyond gubernatorial control.

Political influence in North Dakota

George A. Sinner's political influence in extended beyond his governorship (1985–1992), where he represented the high-water mark for Democratic-NPL executive control in a state long dominated by Republicans. As the last Democrat to hold the office as of 2025, Sinner's moderate, farmer-centric approach helped sustain the party's viability among rural voters, emphasizing pragmatic policies on and economic diversification amid the 1980s farm crisis. His success in winning reelection in 1988 by a margin of 66% to 34% demonstrated an ability to appeal across partisan lines, fostering a legacy of that influenced subsequent Democratic strategies in the state. Post-governorship, Sinner maintained involvement in Democratic circles through endorsements and advisory roles. In 2008, he publicly supported Hillary Clinton's presidential bid, joining other figures in a news conference to advocate for her candidacy, highlighting his stature as an elder statesman within the party. He also engaged in governmental relations as for and affairs at American Crystal Sugar Company from 1992 onward, leveraging his experience to influence discussions affecting 's economy. His service on boards such as the Greater Association intersected with state development initiatives, extending his reach into civic and networks. Sinner's influence persisted through his family and tributes from political successors. His son, George B. Sinner, embodied this continuity by serving as a Democratic-NPL for District 46 from 2012 to 2016 and mounting a 2014 bid for the U.S. , where party leaders highlighted the family name's resonance. Upon George A. Sinner's death on March 9, 2018, U.S. Senator , a fellow Democrat, described him as "a giant of politics," crediting his compassion and land-rooted values for shaping the party's enduring rural appeal. The Democratic-NPL Party's 2018 tribute video portrayed him as a "champion for farmers and families," underscoring his role in maintaining progressive agrarian priorities amid Republican dominance. These elements collectively affirm Sinner's indirect but substantive sway on 's political landscape.

References

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  40. https://www.dl-online.com/news/george-sinner-has-new-book-a-natural-born-teller-of-stories
  41. https://www.westfuneralhome.com/obituary/Jane-Sinner
  42. https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2020/01/north-dakota-dioceses-release-list-of-accused-clergy-members
  43. https://www.thedickinsonpress.com/opinion/opinion-george-sinners-optimism-and-faith-distinguished-his-life-of-public-service
  44. https://www.inforum.com/news/sinner-most-warm-personable-governor-in-u-s-remembered-by-colleagues
  45. https://www.valleynewslive.com/content/news/Funeral-set-Friday-for-ex-North-Dakota-Gov-George-Sinner-476493173.html
  46. https://www.kxnet.com/news/funeral-arrangements-set-for-governor-george-sinner/
  47. https://thebndstory.nd.gov/an-agile-partner/an-economic-development-bank/
  48. https://data.tcpalm.com/unemployment/north-dakota/ST3800000000000/2024-october/
  49. https://www.macrotrends.net/4358/north-dakota-unemployment-rate
  50. https://www.inforum.com/newsmd/presidential-supporters-in-north-dakota-tout-candidates
  51. https://ballotpedia.org/George_B._Sinner
  52. https://www.kfyrtv.com/content/news/Remembering-former-Governor-George-Sinner-476467753.html
  53. https://www.facebook.com/demnpl/videos/gov-george-sinner-tribute-video/10155725390443509/
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