OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Another 2024 Republican presidential hopeful has called it quits.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who was always considered a long-shot prospect, announced on Monday that he was suspending his campaign after failing to connect with voters.
In a statement and video released Monday morning, Burgum, a multi-millionaire former software company CEO who is serving his second term, emphasized that he and his wife “are deeply grateful for each and every person who supported us with their ideas, prayers, advocacy, encouragement, and enthusiasm. Kathryn and I will always remain committed to fighting for the people who make our nation so exceptional.”
He also took a shot at the Republican National Committee as he suspended the campaign, per Fox: After making the stage at the first two GOP presidential debates, Burgum failed to qualify for the third showdown and was unlikely to reach the thresholds mandated by the RNC to take the stage at this week’s fourth debate. The RNC is expected on Monday evening to announce which candidates qualified for the fourth debate.
“The RNC’s clubhouse debate requirements are nationalizing the primary process and taking the power of democracy away from the engaged, thoughtful citizens of Iowa and New Hampshire,” Burgum said in his statement, referencing the first two states to vote in the GOP presidential nominating calendar.
“The RNC’s mission is to win elections. It is not their mission to reduce competition and restrict fresh ideas by ‘narrowing the field’ months before the Iowa caucuses or the first in the nation, the New Hampshire primary. These arbitrary criteria ensure advantages for candidates from major media markets on the coasts versus America’s Heartland,” he argued. “None of their debate criteria relate to the qualifications related to actually doing the job of the president. This effort to nationalize the primary system is unhealthy for the future of the party, especially for a party that proclaims to value leadership from outside of Washington.”
Burgum poured millions of his own money into his campaign, making a heavy presence in Iowa and New Hampshire, but failed to move the polling needle much past low single digits.
BREAKING: North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum suspends Republican presidential campaignhttps://t.co/zbXnAJCjVc
— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 4, 2023
Meanwhile, the party’s frontrunner, by far, is former President Donald Trump, who is not only dominating by winning traditional Republicans, but he’s also gaining support among typically Democratic constituencies such as black voters.
In fact, a state-level Black Lives Matter leader just came out in support of Trump in the latest indication that a historically Democratic voting bloc is shifting away from that party in the age of President Joe Biden.
In an interview with “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday, BLM Rhode Island leader Mark Fisher made the announcement that he’s endorsing the 45th president in next year’s presidential race.
Co-host Lawrence Jones asked, “This is my favorite story of the day because it identifies what I have seen in the barbershop. All the brothers, for some reason right now are turning tides right now. I just wonder what is the big reason?”
“I think personally it’s the duplicity of the Democrats, the hypocrisy,” Fisher responded. “We are not stupid. The brothers are not stupid. We understand when someone is for us and when someone is not. It’s obvious that the Democratic Party is not for us.
“Their policies actually strike at the heart of the black family and nuclear family,” he added.
“A lot of people are misinformed. They don’t understand because they don’t educate themselves on Donald Trump as a person and his history,” Fisher continued. “But, if they do that — and it’s going to take, you know, leaders, educating leaders to get the word out there — I think it will happen on its own.
“It will be organic because, personally, I love the man. How could you, as like a real man, how could you not relate to someone like that?” he asked.
