Republican presidential candidate, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, has claimed political “insiders” are attempting to “artificially narrow the field” before voters take to the polls in the 2024 election.
The White House hopeful was also unable to reach the minimum of 70,000 unique donors threshold, of which at least 200 must come from 20 states or territories.
Mr. Burgum did, however, narrowly qualify for the second debate in October in Southern California.
“I know what it’s like to be the underdog,” the North Dakota governor began the op-ed. “One of the reasons I decided to run for President in the first place was to give a voice to all those people who have been overlooked by elites on both coasts and the politicians in Washington, D.C. It’s why I’m still running for President.”
The businessman went on to tout the software company he built in 1983—Great Plains Software—which was acquired by Microsoft in 2001 for $1.1 billion, noting how he had bet on his own inherited farmland in North Dakota to provide the seed capital for the firm.
“I was told North Dakota was too small, too distant, too cold of a place to build a world-class tech company. We did it anyway,” he wrote of his former firm.
Later, the 2024 White House hopeful reflected on his 2016 gubernatorial race, in which he trailed in polling by 59 points before ultimately winning.
‘Political Insiders Want to Artificially Narrow the Field’
“We won that primary by over 20 points, the general election by 40 points, and re-election in 2020 by the largest margin of any race for governor in the country that year,” he said. “We are deeply grateful for all the amazing support and encouragement we receive.”In the Republican presidential race, however, things are different, according to Mr. Burgum.
“Now, pundits and political insiders want to artificially narrow the field two months before the voting starts by nationalizing what is meant to be a state-by-state, voter-driven primary process,” he wrote.
Despite his claims of alleged attempts to slash the candidacy field ahead of voters going to the polls, Mr. Burgum vowed not to give up in the presidential race.
“Political insiders couldn’t force me out when I fell short at the Republican state convention in March 2016. I’m not about to let D.C. insiders force me out now,” the governor wrote, adding that, “No one on the debate stage is better prepared to be President.”
“I’ve created more jobs than everyone else on that debate stage combined. I’ve spent more time in the private sector than some of the other candidates have been alive! I know what it means to sign the front of a paycheck, not just the back,” he wrote.
“America loves an underdog, and voters who hear our message understand how important focusing on the economy, energy, and national security is to America’s future. That’s why we will keep pushing forward in Iowa and New Hampshire,” Mr. Burgum concluded.
The North Dakota governor’s comments come after former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, businessman and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) took to the stage at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County on Wednesday evening for the third GOP presidential debate.
Ahead of their appearance, Mr. Burgum said he was “skipping the next debate.”
“Party bosses don’t pick presidents – voters do!” the Republican governor said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
