Jasper Schneider had expected to speak to about 1,200 delegates at North Dakota's Democratic state convention in Grand Forks on Friday. Instead, his audience may number more than 15,000, most of whom will be there to listen to Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Schneider, 28, a state representative from Fargo, is beginning his first statewide campaign as the expected Democratic candidate for insurance commissioner. He says he's not worried about being overshadowed by his party's two presidential candidates on the convention's opening day.

"It is such an awesome opportunity for me to speak to, potentially, thousands of people," Schneider said. "I'm ecstatic, and very thankful … We only have one nomination that day, it's kind of the kickoff to our convention, and I'm the guy.

"It's not going to be the intimate setting … but that's a good thing," Schneider said. "I've got a message to deliver, and I certainly don't mind speaking in front of as many people as I can."

After the speeches of Obama and Clinton, North Dakota Democratic delegates are doing most of their convention business Saturday, including a vote on whether Fargo state Sen. Tim Mathern or Rolette state Rep. Merle Boucher should be the best candidate to oppose Republican Gov. John Hoeven in the fall.

Delegates expect to choose candidates for six offices on Saturday. U.S. Rep. Earl Pomeroy is unopposed to run for his ninth term, and Wayne Sanstead, who was first elected North Dakota's state school superintendent in 1984, is expected to get a formal letter of support from convention delegates.

Cheryl Bergian, a Fargo lawyer, is preparing for an endorsement Saturday for a Public Service Commission race, which would be her second PSC campaign in the last two years. Mitch Vance of Bismarck is the only declared Democratic candidate for treasurer.

Democrats do not yet have a candidate to run for state auditor, but party officials say they expect a candidate to step forward during the three-day convention, which ends at midday Sunday.

Schneider's cousin, Mac Schneider, who is a state Senate candidate in Grand Forks' District 42, will be getting his own publicity boost from the visit of the two presidential candidates. Mac Schneider and state Rep. Shirley Meyer, D-Dickinson, will be giving nominating speeches for Jasper Schneider's candidacy for insurance commissioner.

Democrats need to win three Republican-held seats in the North Dakota Senate this fall to gain control of the chamber, and party activists are hoping Mac Schneider will pick up one of them by defeating Republican Nate Martindale. The incumbent, Sen. Nick Hacker, R-Grand Forks, is stepping down after one term.

Mac Schneider is a University of North Dakota law student and former press secretary for Pomeroy.

"Mac is my best friend. We're more like brothers. We've been hanging out ever since I was born, literally my entire life," Jasper Schneider said.

Meyer, who is used to giving nominating speeches at Democratic conventions, said she readily agreed to Jasper Schneider's request that she speak on his behalf. Then came the prospect of speaking to a crowd many times larger than Meyer expected.

"I have to give a brilliant two-minute speech," Meyer said. "I'm scared to death."