North Dakota’s governor pulls the plug on presidential campaign

December 5, 2023

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum ended his long-shot presidential campaign on Monday, blaming his inability to resonate in the race on the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) strict requirements to qualify for the debate stage.

The second-term governor and wealthy software entrepreneur dropped his bid just hours before the RNC was to release the list of candidates who had met the polling and donor qualifications for the fourth debate, being held Wednesday in Alabama. He also failed to qualify for the third debate last month.

He blamed the RNC, which sets qualifications for the debates, for “nationalizing the primary process and taking the power of democracy away from the engaged, thoughtful citizens of Iowa and New Hampshire.”