Republican North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum officially endorsed Donald Trump for president Sunday, Politico reported.
The endorsement was made public at a Trump campaign event in Indianola, where Burgum humorously remarked about the warmer climate compared to North Dakota. His presence on stage, alongside his wife, was a prelude to his endorsement of the former president.
“I’m here to do something that none of the other presidential primary candidates have done,” Burgum stated, Politico noted. “And that’s to endorse Donald J. Trump for president.”
Trump, who is currently leading significantly in the polls, is campaigning in Iowa ahead of the Monday caucuses. The introduction of Burgum and his wife at the event signified a moment in Trump’s campaign journey, the outlet reported. (RELATED:Nearly Half Of Iowa Trump Supporters Are ‘Extremely’ Enthusiastic — Plurality Of Nikki Haley Backers Only ‘Mildly’ So)
Former presidential candidate Gov. Burgum endorses former President Trump. pic.twitter.com/Vc1YpD5hN9
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 14, 2024
The endorsement came shortly after Burgum suspended his own presidential campaign in December, a campaign which struggled to gain any significant traction.
Entering the competitive Republican primary in early June, Burgum concentrated his campaign efforts primarily on economic issues, energy, and national security. In his statement, he expressed disapproval of the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) enhanced criteria for debates, which resulted in his exclusion from the most recent debate. Burgum accused the RNC of centralizing the primary process, as noted in a press release.