North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is launching a presidential bid, joining a crowded Republican field in the race for the 2024 GOP nomination. Ahead of an announcement event in Fargo, N.D., the two-term governor called for a new type of leadership.
"We need a change in the White House. We need a new leader for a changing economy. That's why I'm announcing my run for president today," Burgum wrote in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal Tuesday evening.
Burgum is a former tech CEO and businessman who first entered politics in 2016 when he launched his successful run for governor. He previously founded Great Plains Software, a technology company that Microsoft bought more than two decades ago for $1.1 billion in stock.
Like most of the announced Republican field, Burgum's poll numbers are eclipsed by former President Donald Trump, who currently polls ahead of the rest of the field by a wide margin.
The North Dakota governor will face off against a handful of current and former Republican governors gunning for the nomination, who descend from more politically influential states, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
That said, Burgum enters the race with a handful of recent legislative wins that align with the far-right conservative base he's looking to attract.
In April, he signed a near-total abortion ban that only allows for exceptions within the first six weeks of pregnancy. He also ushered through a series of bills that curb the rights of transgender people, including legislation that criminalizes gender-affirming care for children under 18 years old.
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Categories: North Dakota, Government & Policy