Politico reported that Republican North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum formally endorsed Donald Trump as a presidential candidate on Sunday.
The endorsement was made public at a Trump campaign event in Indianola, where Burgum made humorous remarks about the state's warmer climate compared to North Dakota. Taking the stage with his wife was a precursor to support for the former president.
“I came here to do something that no other presidential primary candidate has done,” Burgum said. politiko I got it. “And that means supporting Donald J. Trump for president.”
Trump, who currently has a wide lead in the polls, is campaigning in Iowa ahead of Monday's caucuses. The Burgum couple's introduction at the event marks a key moment in Trump's campaign, the newspaper reported. (Related: Almost half of Trump supporters in Iowa are 'very' enthusiastic, but several Nikki Haley supporters are only 'moderately' enthusiastic)
Governor Burgum, a former presidential candidate, supports former President Trump. pic.twitter.com/Vc1YpD5hN9
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 14, 2024
The endorsement comes shortly after Burkum called off his own presidential campaign in December, which had struggled to gain significant support.
Burgum, who entered the competitive Republican primary in early June, focused his campaign primarily on economic issues, energy and national security. In his statement, he expressed disapproval of the Republican National Committee's (RNC) enhanced debate standards, resulting in his exclusion from recent debates. Burgum accused the RNC of centralizing the primary process. press release.
