INDIANOLA, Iowa — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum endorsed Donald Trump ‘s comeback bid for the White House Sunday ahead of the Iowa caucuses, a month after he ended his own longshot campaign for the Republican nomination.
Burgum appeared on stage with the former president at a rally in Indianola, where he heaped praise for Trump.
“I’ve had an opportunity to have a front-row seat,” Burgum said. “I’ve seen President Trump and what he’s been able to do. I’ve seen it as a business leader and I’ve seen it as a governor. I’ve seen the difference that President Trump can make.”
When Burgum dropped out, he blamed his inability to resonate in the race on the Republican National Committee’s strict requirements to qualify for the debate stage. He qualified for the first two GOP debates with the help of a unique fundraising scheme, offering $20 gift cards in exchange for a $1 donation so he could juice his number of supporters. But he could not keep up as more donors were required to make the stage for later debates.
Burgum largely funded his campaign with his own money. Before his time as governor, he was largely known as a businessman who led Great Plains Software, which Microsoft acquired for over $1 billion in 2001. Burgum stayed on as an executive with Microsoft until 2007. He’s led other companies in real estate development and venture capital.
