FARGO - Public Service Commissioner Kevin Cramer is ignoring the common political tactic of letting an opponent's name go unspoken. The Republican mentions Democratic challenger Ron Gumeringer on his campaign Web site - to mock Gumeringer for not having a site of his own.

One of the commission's responsibilities is to regulate phone companies, and Cramer said his Web site jab is meant to show Gumeringer does not have the "technical sophistication" to join the three-member panel.

"My daughter built her own Web site when she was 10," Cramer said. "If you don't even have a basic, free Web site, either you've conceded that you're not going to win, or you shouldn't win."

Gumeringer calls Cramer's remark "much ado about nothing." He concentrates on meeting people in person, rather than plastering his photo on the Internet, Gumeringer said.

He's attended eight rural cooperative meetings around the state, and participated in 17 parades, and he hasn't seen Cramer at any of them, Gumeringer said.

"I have been out amongst the people," he said. "I have not seen my opponent at one parade."

Gumeringer, a state Labor Department investigator, concedes Cramer has an advantage in name recognition. He estimates he's handed out 100 pounds of gum to remind people how his name is pronounced; it's GUM-ring-ur.

Cramer has run twice for the U.S. House, losing both times to incumbent Democratic Rep. Earl Pomeroy. He is a former state tourism and economic development director and a former North Dakota Republican Party chairman.

"It's a tremendous advantage to have the level of name recognition, having been in the political arena as long as I have," Cramer said. "Especially running against an opponent that the vast majority of people in North Dakota have never heard of, and have a hard time remembering his name after they've heard it."

Gumeringer considers the campaign's major issues to be cell phone service, utility rates, wind energy development and railroad service.

"I've been getting out to the public and the No. 1 thing they talk to me about is cell phone coverage," Gumeringer said. "They want something done about it."

He has suggested that the state build its own transmitters and lease them to cell companies. Cramer said the PSC has little authority to regulate cell companies.

Gumeringer also points to Cramer's assent to utility rate increases since he joined the commission in August 2003. The commission has approved an electric rate rise by Xcel Energy Co., and electric and natural gas rate increases by Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.

Cramer said he tries to strike a balance between competing business and consumer interests.

"When you're the challenger you get to talk about the problems. Once in a while you might get to offer a solution," Cramer said. "But you have to understand and have the analytical ability to understand the issue and see solutions … Sometimes the challenger gets a pass on that part of it."

Gov. John Hoeven appointed Cramer to the commission to succeed Republican Leo Reinbold, who left office in July 2003. Cramer is finishing Reinbold's six-year term, and is running this year for a full term of his own. The commission's other members are Republicans Susan Wefald and Tony Clark.