Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND) officially joined the increasingly crowded 2024 GOP primary battle.
A two-term governor and businessman, Burgum enters the race as an underdog contestant in a field dominated by former President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL).
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In an introductory video at his kickoff event in Fargo, North Dakota, Burgum cast himself as a pragmatist prepared to "get things done" and deliver conservative victories. Earlier in the day, Burgum announced his candidacy in a Wall Street Journal op-ed piece and filed with the Federal Election Commission.
"When I ran for governor in 2016, we shook up the political establishment—then cut more than a billion dollars in spending, balanced the budget, unleashed energy production, and diversified the economy. This year we achieved pension reform, helped pass term limits, and enacted the biggest tax cut in state history," Burgum wrote.
Burgum's entrance comes on the same day as former Vice President Mike Pence released a video announcing his 2024 declaration and follows Gov. Chris Christie's (R-NJ) announcement on Tuesday. Earlier in the week, Gov. Chris Sununu (R-NH) passed on running.
Now that he's in the arena, Burgum has his work cut out for him if he hopes to make it to the debate stage come August. The Republican National Committee rolled out its requirements to make it to the stage, including a stipulation that aspirants must clinch about 1% in either an early state poll and two national polls, or in at least three national polls.
Sparse polling has gauged Burgum's support, rendering it unclear if he can meet that threshold. Candidates are also required to accrue donations from a minimum of 40,000 donors.
Burgum is no stranger to uphill political battles. In the 2016 election cycle, as a political newcomer, Burgum managed to dispatch Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem in a GOP primary before topping Democratic nominee Marvin Nelson in the general.
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Burgum is also one of the wealthiest Republicans alongside former President Donald Trump and entrepreneur Vivek Ramawsamy, with a net worth of over $1 billion, according to GoBakingRates.
So far, declared Republican candidates include Trump, DeSantis, Pence, former United Nations ambassador and former Gov. Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), Christie, former Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Ramaswamy, conservative radio host Larry Elder, businessman Ryan Binkley, and businessman Perry Johnson.