Doug Burgum, the Republican presidential candidate and North Dakota governor, is determined to persist in his campaign, even as calls grow for a two-person race with former President Donald Trump before the critical Iowa caucuses, reported the Washington Examiner.
In the midst of a burgeoning movement within the GOP for a streamlined 2024 presidential race, critics, including John Hendrickson of The Atlantic, have voiced doubts about the viability of Burgum's campaign, characterizing him as an "affable midwestern guy with virtually zero national name recognition."
His skepticism finds validation in both national and state-level polling data.
An average of polls on RealClearPolitics places Burgum at just 0.7% support, slightly ahead of former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who stands at 0.5%.
However, a recent poll conducted by NBC News, Des Moines Register, and Mediacom in Iowa suggests a somewhat more favorable outlook for Burgum, with a support level of 3%, marking a 1-percentage-point increase from his August polling figures when he stood at 2%.
Despite these challenges, Burgum remains resolute in the face of doubts about his candidacy. He expressed his unwavering commitment on X, stating, "I know I have the skills and experience to turn this country around. I'm running to unleash the best of America and improve every American life. It's that simple."
Supporting Burgum, the "Best of America" super PAC invested $2 million in TV ads and voter outreach, including a $700,000 campaign on Fox News. They're targeting voters in the early states of Iowa and New Hampshire as well as nationwide.
"While other candidates are losing steam and being forced to abandon their campaigns, Gov. Burgum continues to steadily rise in early state polling thanks to our effective TV and voter contact program," said PAC spokesperson Emily Benavides, the New York Post reported.
However, Burgum remains significantly behind Trump and does not qualify for the upcoming Miami debate. Following former Vice President Mike Pence's campaign suspension, the first major GOP candidate to do so, there are increased calls for Burgum and others to reconsider.
The Republican National Committee requires that candidates meet a 4% threshold in either two nationally recognized polls or one national poll with one poll from two of the initial four Republican nominating states: Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada.
Additionally, candidates must secure a minimum of 70,000 unique donors from at least 20 states or territories, with at least 200 donors in each of those 20 jurisdictions.
Five candidates assert that they have satisfied the specified criteria for the Nov. 8 debate: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, biotech mogul Vivek Ramaswamy, and Sen. Tim Scott, R-SC, according to the Post.
Several long-shot candidates have dropped out, including Larry Elder, Perry Johnson (who endorsed Trump), Will Hurd (who endorsed Nikki Haley), and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez.
Gov. Burgum, with a personal fortune nearing $1 billion, has the financial resources to defy calls to withdraw and continue his quest for the Republican presidential nomination.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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