North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum announced a long-shot bid for the Republican presidential nomination, betting that a little-known state chief executive and businessman from the Upper Midwest can emerge as the choice of mainstream Republican voters.
"We need a change in the White House. We need a new leader for a changing economy. That's why I'm announcing my run for president today," Burgum, 66, said in an
He also filed the necessary paperwork with the Federal Election Commission early Wednesday.
Burgum barely registers in early polls, but the wealthy former Microsoft Corp. executive, who spent millions on his gubernatorial races, has resources. He also touts his small-town values, being raised in a town of about 300 in a state near Iowa, which holds the first-in-the-nation GOP caucuses. Burgum plans visits to Iowa on Thursday and Friday and New Hampshire on Saturday and Sunday.
He joins a growing GOP field with former President Donald Trump as the clear frontrunner. Other candidates include Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, who's kicking off his campaign in Iowa on Wednesday, U.S. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, Ohio businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and conservative radio host Larry Elder.
Burgum won his first term as governor in 2016, upsetting the state party-backed attorney general in a GOP primary by running as a business leader outside the political system. He was reelected by more than 40 points in 2020.
He touts reversing a $1.7 billion budget shortfall he inherited by reducing spending and enacting the largest individual income tax-cut packages in state history. He also signed a law banning abortion after six weeks with exceptions for rape, incest and medical emergencies.
Burgum earned an MBA from Stanford University and returned to North Dakota to grow the startup Great Plains Software Inc. in Fargo into a company that was acquired by Microsoft Corp. in 2001 for $1.1 billion in stock. (The company's accounting software product, Great Plains Accounting, became Microsoft Dynamics GP.) He remained at Microsoft as senior vice president through 2007 focused on global business applications.
He founded the real estate development firm Kilbourne Group in 2006 and co-founded the venture capital firm Arthur Ventures in 2008 before entering politics.
The governor is expected to focus on the economy, energy and national security while the other leading candidates are focused on social or culture-war issues. Burgum's campaign contends that half of the Republican electorate is mainstream voters focused mostly on the economy.
In a campaign video released ahead of his announcement, Burgum called for "new leadership for our changing economy" and "innovation over regulation." He also called for expanding oil and gas production and shrinking the federal government to return power to states — with more civility.
"Anger, yelling, infighting — that's not gonna cut it anymore. Let's get things done," Burgum said in the video. "In North Dakota, we listen with respect, and we talk things out. That's how we can get America back on track. It'll work."
