Presidential candidate Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND) stands in stark contrast to several of the more visible Republicans in the race, particularly because he refuses to offer federal solutions to cultural issues.
Burgum’s 2024 bid is focused squarely on the economy, energy, and China, describing the United States as being in a new cold war with Beijing. The economy is also the most important issue to voters going into the 2024 elections.
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For him, delegating some of the social issues to the states is simply staying true to the Constitution and his belief in limited government.
In an interview with the Washington Examiner, Burgum said, “I’m just a strict believer in the Tenth Amendment. I mean, the Constitution defines what the specific duties of the federal government are and the rest of it is, in one sentence, delegated to the States or to the people.”
Burgum said he is a supporter of the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, and believes that issues like abortion should be dealt with at the state level. “What’s going to work in North Dakota is not going to work in California or New York and that’s okay,” he explained.
“The cultural issues, they matter. They’re important. For some people, they’re the most important issue,” he noted, adding that Republican leaders can handle them at local levels of government.
Burgum, a former tech entrepreneur, questioned the wisdom of the fight between Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and the Walt Disney Company. When asked about the dispute, he said, “It’s just interesting because I’d say, at least in my experience, most governors are competing hard to get companies, as opposed to trying to chase them out.
“We’re not about picking fights and trying to drive jobs and investment out of our state. We’re trying to attract investment to our state,” he said. “As long as they’re following laws, we welcome them.”
Focusing on the economy makes sense, Burgum said. “We know that Republican primary voters, they all care about the economy,” he explained. “They’re all super frustrated with Biden and his, you know, whether it’s taxes, spending, interest rates, [or] red tape.”
Despite the North Dakota governor’s low name identification in most other areas of the country, he remains “absolutely” confident that he will qualify to stand on the Republican primary debate stage in August.
He recalled running for governor in 2016, explaining, “No one had heard of us and we’re down 69-10 in the polls to somebody that had almost 100% name recognition.”
Burgum believes that by using traditional channels to communicate his message to voters, he will be able to make up for that disadvantage.
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In order for the North Dakota Republican to qualify for the debate next month, he needs at least 40,000 national contributors, among other requirements. To do this, his campaign is offering $20 gift cards to donors that contribute at least one dollar. In keeping with his focus on the economy, Burgum has dubbed it a “Biden Relief Card.”
He is polling at 0%, per Morning Consult, while former President Donald Trump leads the pack with 57% support.
