 Stenehjem ran for the Republican nomination for a seat on the North Dakota Public Service Commission in 2008 to succeed the retiring Commissioner, Susan Wefald.Stenehjem lost the nomination during the North Dakota Republican Party's state convention on March 29, 2008, coming in second place to eventual nominee Brian Kalk, a professor at North Dakota State University, during the North Dakota Republican Party state convention March 29, 2008.Stenehjem was subsequently re-elected to his seat in the state senate in 2008.