North Dakota Republican Governor Doug Burgum defended former President Donald Trump on Sunday against the criminal charges he faces from the Manhattan District Attorney&#8217;s Office.
Burgum made the remarks during an interview on CNN&#8217;s &#8220;State of the Union&#8221; with host Jake Tapper.
&#8220;I&#8217;m a business guy. This is a business filing case,&#8221; he said. &#8220;If it was anybody other than a presidential candidate, this would be a misdemeanor. How it got turned into 34 felonies, when there isn&#8217;t even the alleged crime, which is &#8212; they haven&#8217;t even convinced anybody there was a crime.&#8221;
&#8220;But if it were, it would be a Federal Election Commission crime. And that would be pursued by the federal courts, not by a county DA in New York,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;And so I think, again, Americans, the outcome of this trial doesn&#8217;t affect them.&#8221;
He said that the trial was nothing more than &#8220;a spectacle for cable TV, but average Americans have already baked in what they think about President Trump, President Biden, they&#8217;re looking at the policies, not at the people, and they were better off under President Trump&#8217;s policies.&#8221;
Burgum said he was looking forward to next January when &#8220;Vice President Harris certifies the election for Donald Trump.&#8221;
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&#8220;I mean, the American people are the ones that get to decide these elections,&#8221; he said. &#8220;But for both parties and for all Americans, we have got to make sure that every county, every precinct is beyond reproach, that everybody can be confident in our country.&#8221;
&#8220;In North Dakota, we&#8217;re doing that,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Nobody&#8217;s questioning the results of an election in any county or precinct in North Dakota. It can be done. It&#8217;s done all over the nation, except, in some cases, we have got &#8212; we could have a handful of counties that this election could turn on again, and we have just got to make sure that, when it&#8217;s done, both sides feel good about how it was counted.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
GOV. DOUG BURGUM: I&#8217;m looking forward to next January when Kamala Harris certifies the election for President Trump <a href="https://t.co/aumy3Nlg4D">pic.twitter.com/aumy3Nlg4D</a>
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1787114427969409518?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2024</a></blockquote>

Trump Campaign Holds Caucus Night Watch Party

Burgum Defends Trump Against Manhattan Criminal Trial

Courts

Donald Trump

Doug Burgum

Politics

Former President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> surrounded himself with potential running mates and other allies on Saturday during the Republican National Committee (RNC) spring retreat at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.
Among those who joined Trump on stage in the Grand Ballroom for a lunch event were Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Tim Scott (R-SC), entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, all former 2024 presidential rivals now considered to be in the running for vice president, according to a post to X from his campaign.
House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), and Reps. Byron Donalds (R-FL) and Wesley Hunt (R-TX), who have all been mentioned as part of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kellyanne-conway-offers-insight-into-trump-veepstakes-suggests-person-of-color" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Veepstakes</a> this election cycle, also attended.
Other Republicans who were present included House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Reps. Jim Banks (R-IN), who is running for Senate; Michael Waltz (R-FL); Pennsylvania Senate candidate Dave McCormick; and Ohio Senate candidate Bernie Moreno.
During the event, Trump recognized the RNC&#8217;s fundraising efforts and &#8220;enthusiasm&#8221; for his &#8220;Make America Great Again&#8221; movement, per his campaign. He spoke for around 90 minutes about the presidential race, election integrity, the economy, the border, and protests taking place on university campuses. He also touted Johnson&#8217;s work as a speaker and advocated for party unity.
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On a picture-perfect Palm Beach Saturday, in the Grand Ballroom of the Mar-a-Lago Club, more than 400 seated guests enjoyed a gourmet lunch while hearing Mr. Vivek Ramaswamy, Congressman Byron Donalds, and Congressman Wesley Hunt deliver remarks as part of the pre-program.    At… <a href="https://t.co/WXOBIaYIM0">pic.twitter.com/WXOBIaYIM0</a>
&mdash; Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/TeamTrump/status/1786877472274792636?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Trump recently suggested that he may select a running mate in the next couple of months before the Republican National Convention, which is scheduled to take place in Milwaukee in mid-July. &#8220;We’ll be making that decision I think closer to Wisconsin time,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&amp;v=GZhBIHr5v2U" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told FOX6 News Milwaukee</a> last week. He added, &#8220;It&#8217;s very early right now.&#8221;
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In the 2016 and 2020 elections, Trump ran with former Vice President Mike Pence, a former governor of Indiana. Pence led his own presidential campaign in the 2024 election cycle but <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mike-pence-suspends-2024-presidential-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped out</a> in late October before the start of the GOP primary contests.
Trump recently met with one of his other former 2024 Republican primary rivals, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Both indicated they had a productive conversation and made plans to defeat President Joe Biden in the November election.

Trump Surrounds Himself With Potential VPs At Mar-A-Lago

2024

2024 Election

Byron Donalds

Elections

Elise Stefanik

Marco Rubio

Tim Scott

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-dakota" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Dakota</a> Republican Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/doug-burgum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Doug Burgum</a> said on Monday that he will not seek a third term leading the Peace Garden State this year.
The announcement followed Burgum <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doug-burgum-suspends-2024-presidential-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ending his long-shot campaign</a> in the 2024 presidential race last month and a little more than a week after he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-gets-endorsement-from-burgum-former-2024-rival-on-eve-of-iowa-caucuses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">endorsed</a> former President Donald Trump ahead of the Iowa caucuses.
&#8220;Serving as governor and first lady of the great state of North Dakota has been one of the most incredible and rewarding experiences of our lives,&#8221; Burgum said in a <a href="https://www.governor.nd.gov/news/burgum-announces-he-wont-seek-third-term-highlights-progress-made-during-time-governor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. &#8220;Kathryn and I are eternally grateful to the citizens of North Dakota for twice giving us this opportunity to serve the state we love so much.&#8221;
North Dakota voters elected Burgum, a wealthy former software executive, to serve as their 33rd governor in November 2016. He won another four-year term in November 2020.
In his statement, Burgum touted &#8220;incredible progress&#8221; during his seven-year tenure, including on issues such as taxes, the economy, education, state-tribal relations, agriculture, energy, and fighting addiction.
&#8220;There’s never been a better time to live, work and raise a family in North Dakota. Our state is extremely well-positioned for the future thanks to the efforts of everyone on Team ND to empower people, improve lives and inspire success,&#8221; Burgum said.
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A term limits measure passed in 2022 barred any individual from being elected governor more than twice — though <a href="https://www.kfyrtv.com/2022/11/09/measure-1-projected-pass-term-limits-will-go-into-effect-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the measure noted</a> that service before its effective date would not count toward the limit.
Prognosticators who <a href="https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/2024-governor/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">assessed</a> the 2024 governor&#8217;s race last year <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/governor-race-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">determined</a> the GOP was favored to win. At least one person, former Republican state Sen. Tom Campbell, has <a href="https://www.wdayradionow.com/news/regional-news/72233-former-state-senator-tom-campbell-to-run-for-governor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> he will run for the office.
Burgum&#8217;s current term is set to end on December 14. It was not immediately clear what he would do next, but one person had already floated a possibility.
&#8220;He&#8217;s one of the best governors in our country,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-teases-ex-rival-doug-burgum-hold-important-administration-role-iowa-win" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said at an event last week</a>, appearing with Burgum after Burgum endorsed the former president. &#8220;And I hope that I&#8217;m going to be able to call on him to be a piece of the administration, a very important piece of the administration.&#8221;

Doug Burgum Announces He Will Not Seek 3rd Term As North Dakota Governor

North Dakota

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-dakota" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Dakota</a> Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/doug-burgum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Doug Burgum</a>, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doug-burgum-suspends-2024-presidential-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suspended</a> his White House bid early last month, endorsed former President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> on the eve of the first-in-the-nation <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/iowa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iowa</a> caucuses.
Standing on the stage in Indianola flanked by his wife, Kathryn, and Trump, Burgum contended on Sunday that Iowa and North Dakota are &#8220;heartland states&#8221; that were &#8220;respected&#8221; during the Trump administration that wanted to see them thrive as opposed to &#8220;being regulated out of business.&#8221;
The United States needs to take a &#8220;180 degree change in the direction&#8221; that President Joe Biden is leading the country, Burgum added. He said Biden has been &#8220;wrong&#8221; on the economy, energy, and national security.
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Former presidential candidate Gov. Burgum endorses former President Trump. <a href="https://t.co/Vc1YpD5hN9">pic.twitter.com/Vc1YpD5hN9</a>
&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1746618210240074047?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;
After touting some of Trump&#8217;s work in office, including cutting red tape &#8220;like no president has ever done before,&#8221; Burgum predicted that Trump will &#8220;deliver energy dominance&#8221; in a second term.
&#8220;Under President Trump, America was safe and prosperous. And tomorrow when you caucus, you have an opportunity to send a message to the nation and send a message to the world: that Donald J. Trump will make America great again,&#8221; Burgum concluded.
Heading into the GOP Iowa caucuses on Monday, Trump boasts <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/iowa-gop-caucus-all-the-final-polls" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a commanding lead</a> over his remaining GOP rivals in the state despite facing a flurry of criminal cases and ballot access challenges.
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Trump&#8217;s remaining rivals include Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, and Texas pastor Ryan Binkley.
Burgum suggested during his remarks on Sunday that he would be the first presidential primary candidate to endorse Trump this election cycle, but fellow long-shot GOP hopeful Larry Elder <a href="https://apnews.com/article/larry-elder-drops-out-presidential-race-a3d3665cd50d1e0d2071ab8800075482#:~:text=Radio%20host%20Larry%20Elder%20ends%20Republican%20presidential%20campaign%20and%20endorses%20Donald%20Trump&amp;text=Conservative%20talk%20radio%20host%20Larry,sought%20to%20replace%20California%20Gov." target="_blank" rel="noopener">did just that</a> when he ended his campaign in October, <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/briefs/days-after-suspending-his-presidential-campaign-perry-johnson-endorses-trump-for-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as did</a> Michigan businessman Perry Johnson that same month.
Last week, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chris-christie-drops-out-of-2024-presidential-race" target="_blank" rel="noopener">became the latest</a> GOP hopeful to drop out of the 2024 race. He took the opposite approach to Trump than did Burgum.
“I am going to make sure that in no way do I enable Donald Trump to ever be president of the United States again,” Christie said. “And that’s more important than my own personal ambitions.”

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum with former President Donald Trump

Trump Gets Endorsement From Burgum, Former 2024 Rival, On Eve Of Iowa Caucuses

Endorsement

The second 2024 Republican presidential debate is here. Seven candidates, including a cadre of governors and former governors, are facing off for the second time at a debate moderated by Fox News hosts Stuart Varney and Dana Perino alongside UNIVISION’s Ilia Calderón. The debate is being held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Candidates participating in the debate include Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Vice President Mike Pence, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum. Former President Donald Trump, the current GOP frontrunner, will not participate, choosing to appear in Michigan to give a speech to striking autoworkers. Follow The Daily Wire’s Republican presidential debate live blog here: Refresh for updates.
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Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom attends debate as surrogate for Biden
Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) was spotted at the Reagan Presidential Library, entering the spin zone, where he will be a surrogate for President Joe Biden. Newsom declared the president the &#8220;clear&#8221; winner of the debate before it even started.
&#8220;The winner of tonight’s debate is clear, it’s Joe Biden. It’s the Biden presidency and the extraordinary job he’s done over the years,&#8221; Newsom said. &#8220;It’s been a masterclass, the success of the Biden-Harris administration.”
Tim Scott: Biden shouldn&#8217;t be on the picket line but on the southern border 
Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) called out President Joe Biden for joining striking autoworkers in Michigan earlier this week. &#8220;Joe Biden should not be on the picket line; he should be on the southern border working to close our southern border because it is unsafe, wide open, and insecure.&#8221;
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If you don’t control your back door, it&#39;s not your house. And if we don&#39;t control our border, it’s not our country.
Every single American deserves safe streets, drug-free neighborhoods, and secure borders. And when I’m in the White House, they’ll get them. <a href="https://t.co/4c4Iue7X2v">pic.twitter.com/4c4Iue7X2v</a>
&mdash; Tim Scott (@votetimscott) <a href="https://twitter.com/votetimscott/status/1707202918225445298?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Ramaswamy doesn’t have patience for union bosses but does have sympathy for the workers
The tech entrepreneur said that workers should “go picket in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. That’s really where the protest needs to be.” Ramaswamy added that the Biden administration&#8217;s policies have been a disaster and that federal regulations are hampering the economy.
Chris Christie calls out Trump for adding to the national debt
Former Trump ally and Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie criticized the Trump administration for adding trillions of dollars to the national debt during the former president&#8217;s four years in office and called on him to defend his record on the debate stage.
&#8220;We don&#8217;t get any answers because Joe Biden hides in his basement and won&#8217;t answer as to why he&#8217;s raising the debt the way he&#8217;s done, and Donald Trump hides behind the walls of his golf clubs and won&#8217;t show up &#8230; he put $7 trillion on the debt. He should be here in this room to answer those questions.&#8221;
DeSantis calls out Trump for not being at the debate, criticizes the former president for signing large spending bills
“You know who else is missing in action? Donald Trump is missing in action,&#8221; the Florida governor said. &#8220;He should be on this stage tonight. He owes it to you to defend his record where they added $7.8 trillion to the debt that set the stage for the inflation that we have.&#8221; DeSantis said he will veto bloated spending bills.
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Where is Joe Biden? He’s missing in action.
You know who else is missing in action? Donald Trump.
DC politicians are shutting down the American Dream with their reckless spending.
As your President, when they send me a bloated spending bill, I will take out my pen and veto it. <a href="https://t.co/FzhRJZco19">pic.twitter.com/FzhRJZco19</a>
&mdash; Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/RonDeSantis/status/1707205112567902481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Christie says that America wants more immigrants to come legally
&#8220;If you come here illegally, we will apprehend you and send you back across the border from whence you came.”
DeSantis tries to steer debate back to issues after Scott and Ramaswamy trade barbs
After Sen. Tim Scott called out Vivek Ramaswamy for criticizing his GOP opponents in the last debate and calling them &#8220;bought and paid for,&#8221; Gov. DeSantis tried to get the participants to &#8220;get back to the issues that matter.&#8221;
&#8220;Let&#8217;s focus on holding Joe Biden accountable,&#8221; DeSantis said. &#8220;That&#8217;s who we need to be focusing on.&#8221;
Pence asked about supporting a pathway for illegal immigrants allowed to stay in America under Obama and Biden’s DACA program, which was recently ruled illegal
The former vice president pointed to the Trump administration’s actions to secure the border and said he has negotiated change in Congress before.
DeSantis says that crime is a sign of “decaying” American culture, lays out his plan to go after Soros-backed DAs
The Florida governor pointed to his removal of two woke prosecutors in Florida and said that he will authorize the Department of Justice to bring civil rights cases against George Soros-backed prosecutors who are weak on prosecuting crime.
Pence calls for &#8220;expedited death penalty&#8221; for mass shooters
&#8220;I&#8217;m someone that believes that justice delayed is justice denied, and as a father of three, as a grandfather of three beautiful little girls, I am sick and tired of these mass shootings happening in the United States of America, and if I&#8217;m president of the United States, I will go to the Congress of the United States, and we&#8217;re going to pass a federal expedited death penalty for anyone involved in a mass shooting so they will meet their fate in months, not years.&#8221;
Ramaswamy says that part of dealing with the fentanyl crisis is cracking down on demand in the country
Ramaswamy said that the country needs to turn to faith-based mental health solutions and crack down on addictive social media platforms.
Haley addresses the broken health care system
Nikki Haley said that, as president, she will break down the American healthcare system as it currently stands and will bring competition and transparency to the industry.
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When I am president we will make health care costs transparent. We will put the patient in the driver seat and costs will go down.
&mdash; Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) <a href="https://twitter.com/NikkiHaley/status/1707212149687218519?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Burgum blames the federal government for rising medical costs
When asked about how he would address the rising costs of health care, Doug Burgum pinned the blame on the federal government. He said that whenever the government gets involved, it picks winners and losers, which doesn’t work out well.
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Every time the federal government gets involved in something, whether it’s education, energy or health care, things get more expensive and less efficient. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GOPDebate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GOPDebate</a>
&mdash; Doug Burgum (Text &quot;DOUG&quot; to 70177) (@DougBurgum) <a href="https://twitter.com/DougBurgum/status/1707213027899011490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Haley says parents have to get involved with kids&#8217; education, calls for transparency and an end to spending on DEI, CRT
Nikki Haley said parents need to get involved and public schools need to be more transparent with them. &#8220;We&#8217;ve got to make sure we catch our kids up &#8230; we need complete transparency in the classroom &#8230; we need school choice.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;ve got to quit spending time on DEI and CRT,&#8221; Haley added.
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&quot;We&#39;ve got to make sure we catch our kids up &#8230; we need complete transparency in the classroom &#8230; we need school choice.&quot; 
&quot;We&#39;ve got to quit spending time on DEI and CRT.&quot; — Gov. Nikki Haley
&mdash; Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1707213933378261253?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Scott takes aim at Democrat welfare programs
Tim Scott said that black Americans survived all of the hardships of slavery, but were devastated by welfare programs in the 1960s. “What was hard to survive was Johnson’s Great Society where they decided to take the black father out of the household to get a check in the mail and you can now measure that in unemployment, crime, and devastation. If you want to restore hope, you need to restore the family,” he said.
Ramaswamy: Transgenderism is a mental health disorder
After being asked about parental notification laws for public schools, Vivek Ramaswamy said, &#8220;Transgenderism, especially in kids, is a mental health disorder,&#8221; adding that &#8220;it is not compassionate to confirm a child&#8217;s delusion.&#8221;
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VIVEK: &quot;Transgenderism, especially in kids, is a mental health disorder!&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GmweqbuyRk">pic.twitter.com/GmweqbuyRk</a>
&mdash; Townhall.com (@townhallcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1707215970366894097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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DeSantis says the U.S. must defend the American people before worrying about Ukraine
When asked if it was in America&#8217;s best interest to fund Ukraine&#8217;s defense, Gov. Ron DeSantis said it is in America&#8217;s interest &#8220;to end&#8221; the war in Ukraine. &#8220;We are not going to have a blank check. We will not have U.S. troops [in Ukraine].&#8221;
&#8220;We have to defend the American people,&#8221; DeSantis added, saying the U.S. needs to focus on the southern border.
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&quot;It is in our interest to end this war,&quot; Gov. DeSantis says we will not send American troops to Ukraine. 
&quot;We have to defend the American people,&quot; DeSantis charges, stating that we need to focus on the southern border.
&mdash; Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1707218460147908887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Tim Scott: Opposing Russia in Ukraine is in America&#8217;s best interest
When asked about continued assistance to Ukraine, which Scott has consistently voted in favor of, the senator said, &#8220;Our national interest is in degrading the Russian military.&#8221;
Haley and Ramaswamy squabble over TikTok
Ramaswamy said that he would ban TikTok for those under 16 before Haley jumped in to attack him over downloading the app himself. Haley said that TikTok was a security liability and would allow China access to American voting. Ramaswamy said that having TikTok was necessary to reach out to the next generation.
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WATCH:
Vivek and Haley Clash Over TikTok/China &#8211; Haley says ‘We can’t trust you.’ <a href="https://t.co/rC3zKs2Fqd">pic.twitter.com/rC3zKs2Fqd</a>
&mdash; Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyCaller/status/1707221767029227577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Burgum: “We’re in a Cold War with China”
Burgum called out Biden&#8217;s foreign policy approach, saying that Biden invited more kidnappings of Americans with recent negotiations that gave billions to Iran in exchange for imprisoned Americans. He added that Ukraine should not fall to Russia and Taiwan should not fall to China.
Haley goes after DeSantis on energy
Nikki Haley attacked Gov. Ron DeSantis for his record on fracking, accusing DeSantis of issuing executive orders after taking office banning fracking and offshore drilling in the state.
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On his second day in office as governor, Ron issued executive orders BANNING fracking and offshore drilling in Florida—a page straight from Joe Biden’s playbook.
&mdash; Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) <a href="https://twitter.com/NikkiHaley/status/1707223212784841122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
DeSantis responded to Haley, saying her claims are &#8220;not true&#8221; and pointed to a Florida constitutional amendment that bans offshore drilling.
&#8220;That&#8217;s just wrong,&#8221; the governor said of Haley&#8217;s attack. &#8220;And let&#8217;s just get real here: my plan will get the job done. We are going to be energy dominant.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/RonDeSantis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RonDeSantis</a> pledges to champion &quot;American energy dominance: We&#39;re going to choose Midland over Moscow, we&#39;re going to choose the Marcellas over the Mullahs, and we&#39;re going to choose Bakken over Beijing, and we&#39;re going to lower your gas prices.&quot; BAM <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GOPDebate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GOPDebate</a> <a href="https://t.co/87nzLXZw8y">pic.twitter.com/87nzLXZw8y</a>
&mdash; Tyler O&#39;Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tyler2ONeil/status/1707227589142573190?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
DeSantis says being pro-life is not a liability for elections
“I reject this idea that pro-lifers are to blame for midterm defeats,” DeSantis said, adding that Trump should be at the debate to explain why he has been critical of pro-life activists. “We’re better off when everyone counts,” he added, saying Republicans should go after Democrats pushing extreme late-term abortion policies.
Candidates asked who they would vote &#8220;off the island&#8221;
Fox News host Dana Perino asked candidates to write down what candidate they would want to “vote off the island” but candidates refused with DeSantis calling the question disrespectful. Other candidates agreed and Perino moved on before Christie explained that he would want Trump “off the island.”
Ramaswamy: &#8220;America First agenda does not belong to one man&#8221;
With the final comment of the debate, Vivek Ramaswamy said he &#8220;respects&#8221; former President Trump&#8217;s &#8220;legacy,&#8221; but added that the America First agenda that Trump governed by &#8220;does not belong to one man.&#8221;
&#8220;It does not belong to Donald Trump. It doesn&#8217;t belong to me. It belongs to you, the people of this country. And the question is who is going to unite this country and take the America First agenda to the next level.&#8221;

2024 Primary Debate

2024 GOP PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: Live Updates As 7 Republicans Face Off At Reagan Library

2024 Primaries

Chris Christie

Debates

Mike Pence

Nikki Haley

Ron DeSantis

Vivek Ramaswamy

More polls on the early primary state of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-hampshire">New Hampshire</a> were released over the past week, showing how Republican candidates stack up in the state with an impressive track record of choosing the eventual nominee. 
The New Hampshire primary, along with the Iowa caucuses, act as the launching pad for the presidential election, and Republicans who won the Granite State primary in the last three competitive election cycles (2016, 2012, and 2008) all went on to win the nomination. The state also represents a slightly <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/24/politics/new-hampshire-republican-primary-trump/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">better chance</a> for a Republican candidate to knock off the GOP frontrunner, former President Donald Trump, as Trump consistently polls lower in New Hampshire than he does nationally. 
According to the <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2024/president/nh/2024_new_hampshire_republican_presidential_primary-7396.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Real Clear Politics average</a> as of Wednesday, Trump leads the pack in New Hampshire at 44%, 31 points ahead of former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley at 13%. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is in second place nationally, comes in third place in the state at 10.5%, followed closely by former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie at 9.8%. Tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy (8%), South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott (4.8%), North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (2.5%), and former Vice President Mike Pence (1.5%) round out the polling of those who came in above 1%. 
The most recent poll, conducted by CBS News from September 15-24, has Trump at 50%, DeSantis in second at 13%, and Haley in third at 11%. The CBS poll was an 11-point difference for Trump compared to a CNN/UNH poll conducted two weeks ago that put the former president at 39%.
The last four polls of New Hampshire showed a significant rise for Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the UN during the Trump administration. Haley polled as high as 15% in a St. Anselm poll conducted last week, a 10-point rise for the South Carolinian since the previous St. Anselm poll conducted in June. Meanwhile, DeSantis dropped eight points between the two St. Anselm polls as the governor struggles to gain momentum since the launch of his campaign in late May. 
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Seven candidates will gather at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, for Wednesday night&#8217;s second GOP presidential debate. Trump, who did not attend the first GOP debate, will also skip this one, opting to speak to striking autoworkers in Michigan instead. The former president has pointed to his dominance in the polls as a reason he’s not debating his Republican opponents.

Nikki Haley/Donald Trump/Ron DeSantis

Latest Presidential Polls: Where The Candidates Stand In New Hampshire

New Hampshire

Republican presidential candidates hit the Iowa trail in recent weeks as potential nominees court voters who will partake in the nation’s first caucuses. 
Many of the GOP candidates attended the Iowa State Fair last month and the annual Iowa-Iowa State college football game over the weekend, trying to convince voters that they are the best option to beat President Joe Biden in 2024. State polling continues to show former President Donald Trump in a commanding lead in Iowa, but according to some recent polls, both Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have slightly dipped as other candidates got a small boost. 
Trump stands at 46.0%, and DeSantis holds second place at 15.8%, according to the latest Real Clear Politics <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2024/president/ia/2024_iowa_republican_presidential_caucus-8164.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">average</a> in Iowa. Two candidates from South Carolina have seen a recent boost in the Hawkeye State, as Sen. Tim Scott now sits at 9.0% and former Governor Nikki Haley improved to 7.0%, according to the RCP average. Tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy (6.5%), former Vice President Mike Pence (3.5%), former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (3.5%), and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (2.5%) round out the polling of candidates who hit above 2% in Iowa. 
Trump’s polling in Iowa dropped significantly between May and last week, according to the latest Emerson poll. The former president stood at 62%, according to an Emerson poll taken in late May, but that dropped to 49% in the <a href="https://emersoncollegepolling.com/iowa-2024-biden-and-trump-remain-frontrunners-in-caucuses-but-both-losing-ground/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> released last week. DeSantis also took a slight tumble, according to Emerson, dropping from 20% to 14% in the same time period. The May Emerson poll showing the Florida governor at 20% was released days before he officially launched his campaign, which has struggled to gain momentum. 
An Iowa State/Civiqs <a href="https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2023/09/08/24caucus-poll1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> also released last week showed similar results for Trump and DeSantis as the Emerson poll and better results for Haley, who reached 10%, just four percentage points behind DeSantis. Haley’s recent boost in Iowa comes as she’s also gained some momentum nationally. A recent CNN poll showed Haley was tied for third place with Pence at 7%, and the same <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/10/politics/nikki-haley-lead-biden-2024-poll-cnntv/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> showed the former U.N. ambassador performing the best of any GOP candidate against Biden, beating him 49% to 43%. 
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Iowa voters will kick off the final stretch of the Republican race on January 15, 2024, when they caucus to pick their candidate for the GOP nomination. The state has a track record of picking some of the most conservative candidates to be the GOP nominee, but Republicans who won the Iowa caucuses in recent competitive races didn&#8217;t fare well in the long run. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who won in 2016, former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), who won in 2012, and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who won in 2008, all went on to lose the Republican primary.

2024 Presidential Candidates Attend Iowa State Fair

Latest Presidential Polls: Where The Candidates Stand In Iowa

Iowa Caucuses

Polls

A few Republican candidates benefited from the first presidential debate in the polls, but former President Donald Trump still holds a commanding 40-point lead in the Real Clear Politics polling <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2024/president/us/2024_republican_presidential_nomination-7548.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">average</a>. 
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley got slight boosts in some polls following the debate. Haley appeared to benefit the most, jumping over former Vice President Mike Pence into fourth place in the polling average. Trump’s polling average remained above 50% following the debate that he opted to skip as the former president’s mugshot dominated news cycles immediately after. 
The RCP average as of Wednesday morning puts Trump in first place at 53.6%, followed by DeSantis (13.5%), Vivek Ramaswamy (7.3%,) Haley (4.9%), and Pence (4.6%). Republican candidates polling at the bottom of the pack include former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (2.5%), South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott (2.4%), former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson (0.4%), North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (0.4%), and former Texas Rep. Will Hurd (0.3%). 
A poll conducted by InsiderAdvantage the day after the debate showed that DeSantis jumped to 18%, an eight percentage point boost from the previous InsiderAdvantage poll. Haley meanwhile hit double digits in the poll, jumping to 11%, a five percentage point boost from her standing in the previous poll. The InsiderAdvantage <a href="https://insideradvantage.com/insideradvantage-post-debate-national-republican-presidential-poll-trump-leads-at-45-percent-desantis-takes-solid-18-second-place-haley-rockets-to-third-in-survey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a>, which surveyed 850 &#8220;likely Republican caucus and primary voters,&#8221; showed that Trump had fallen six percentage points — down to 45% — since the previous poll conducted before the debate.
An Emerson <a href="https://emersoncollegepolling.com/august-2023-national-poll-trump-debate-snub-may-open-door-for-other-candidates/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> conducted in the days following the first GOP debate showed Haley making the biggest jump, from 2% in a poll taken a week before the debate to 7% in the post-debate poll, which surveyed 1,000 registered voters. Pence jumped from 3% to 7% in the poll, and DeSantis moved up from 10% in the pre-debate poll to 12%. Trump and Ramaswamy both dropped in their polling after the debate, according to Emerson. The former president went from 56% to 50%, while Ramaswamy lost one percentage point, falling back into single digits at 9%.
The latest Economist/YouGov <a href="https://docs.cdn.yougov.com/eqlqwyoypg/econTabReport.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> taken after the debate showed that not much changed for the candidates seeking to gain ground on Trump. DeSantis remained at 16% in the poll, which is where he stood in the previous Economist/YouGov survey taken a week before the debate. Ramaswamy gained two percentage points, moving from 4% to 6%, according to the polls, and Haley inched from 3% to 4%. Trump dropped to 52%, according to the poll, giving him a 36-point lead over DeSantis nationally. 
A Morning Consult <a href="https://pro.morningconsult.com/trackers/2024-gop-primary-election-tracker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> also found that the debate didn’t change much for the candidates trailing Trump. The poll, which surveyed over 3,500 “potential Republican primary voters,” showed that Haley and Scott were the only candidates to get a slight bump. Haley went from 3% to 5% and Scott moved up from 2% to 3%. Trump (58%), DeSantis (14%), Ramaswamy (10%), and Pence (6%) all remained the same before and after the debate. 
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The day after the GOP debate, which garnered nearly 13 million viewers, Trump was arrested in Fulton County, Georgia, on a series of charges, including violating Georgia’s RICO Act, conspiracy to commit forgery, and false statements and writings. Trump’s mugshot taken at the jail quickly went viral on social media and was plastered across the country’s newspapers and news websites. Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-makes-statement-after-arrest-in-fulton-county" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> his arrest in Georgia “a very sad day for America.” 
&#8220;What has taken place here is a travesty of justice,” Trump added. “We did nothing wrong. I did nothing wrong. And everybody knows that I&#8217;ve never had such support.”

Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Donald Trump

Latest Presidential Polls: Trailing Candidates Get Slight Post-Debate Boost, Trump Still Dominates

Asa Hutchinson

Wednesday night’s first 2024 GOP presidential primary debate might wind up being a bit of a wash for all the candidates involved  — principally because nobody significantly exceeded or underperformed expectations.  
Yet, simply because there was no clear winner or loser of the debate itself, does not mean that there weren’t both highlights and lowlights worth reviewing for each candidate. We’ll review some of those moments and more for each candidate involved (and not involved) in no particular order. 
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy
Pros: Ramaswamy, the 38-year-old untested politician, arguably made the biggest splash in terms of proving that he can handle being on the stage with the seven other politicians vying for the nomination. As a political outsider, Ramaswamy has chosen to shy away from criticizing former President Donald Trump and his MAGA base — a trend that continued in Milwaukee.
To his credit, Ramaswamy was quick to answer many questions straightforwardly. He did nothing to turn off his more populist voters or those sympathetic to his platform. A particular highlight was his response to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ramaswamy-shut-down-dept-of-education-move-funding-to-parents-to-allow-school-choice">how to fix the education crisis</a> in America, but he also spoke of intangibles not necessarily reflected in policies.
Conservative writer Amber Athey praised Vivek to that extent, saying, “Vivek is the only candidate on the stage who has identified the real underlying issues affecting Americans. Our lack of shared identity &amp; values. The others laughed at his assertion that we are in decline, they don&#8217;t see our national malaise. They don&#8217;t get it.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Vivek is the only candidate on the stage who has identified the real underlying issues affecting Americans. Our lack of shared identity &amp; values. The others laughed at his assertion that we are in decline, they don&#39;t see our national malaise. They don&#39;t get it.
&mdash; Amber Athey (@amber_athey) <a href="https://twitter.com/amber_athey/status/1694538633829552354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Cons: Vivek has earned a nickname from political opponents as “Vivek the Fake” and his flip-flops on key issues hamper his success. He didn’t do himself any favors toward shedding that label after he appeared to steal former President Barack Obama’s line about being &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sounds-like-chatgpt-christie-slams-ramaswamy-for-plagiarizing-obama-line">a skinny guy with a funny last name</a>. &#8220;
Watch for yourself: 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Vivek Ramaswamy dropped a not-so-subtle reference to Obama&#39;s 2004 DNC speech last night&#8230; <a href="https://t.co/TGmAazHzuC">pic.twitter.com/TGmAazHzuC</a>
&mdash; Townhall.com (@townhallcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1694742534587658275?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
Pros: The Florida governor had a quality night — not necessarily for what he said, but for what he did not say. DeSantis avoided verbal landmines that could turn off MAGA voters and largely stayed out of the fray in terms of personal attacks. He stayed on message: America is in decline. We need to fix it. I know how to fix it. Look at Florida for results.
 Those who are squarely aligned with DeSantis are likely to stay with him after last night&#8217;s appearance. Maybe as a result of his personal and political discipline, and perhaps because of his popularity amongst the GOP base, the other candidates avoided lobbing assaults at him as well. 
Cons: While DeSantis didn’t get attacked all that much, he also didn’t make the impact he needed to be seen as the pre-eminent opponent to Trump. Trump is 40 points ahead of DeSantis. He is going to need to peel away that support in order to defeat him. 
To that end, it doesn’t seem like he did anything to win over the Trump primary voters he needs — especially compared to Ramaswamy. As we’ll discuss with former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, he may even lose some of the more hawkish GOP voters who want more aid sent to Ukraine.
There are many voters waiting for DeSantis to have a big, breakout moment that shows he can be entertaining, connect with voters, and be able to stand on his own two feet against Trump. That didn’t happen here.
Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley
Pros: Haley’s most passionate and arguably best moment of the night came in her defense of the moral and political need to help Ukraine defend itself. Watch here: 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Nikki Haley slams Ramaswamy at the GOP debate on foreign policy: “Ukraine is the first line of defence for us. Vivek wants to hand Ukraine to Russia. He wants to let China eat Taiwan. He wants to stop funding Israel. You don’t do that to friends.” 👏👏<a href="https://t.co/LMVDTOuGws">pic.twitter.com/LMVDTOuGws</a>
&mdash; Bella Wallersteiner 🇺🇦 (@BellaWallerstei) <a href="https://twitter.com/BellaWallerstei/status/1694590499833712791?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2023</a></blockquote>
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If you are somebody who believes that the U.S. should be doing more to help President Volodymyr Zelensky in his fight against Putin, it’s tough not to see Haley as your preferred candidate. That could be bad news for DeSantis, who might have voters turn their backs on him in favor of Haley.
Cons: Ukraine isn’t that much of a priority for voters and <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/06/15/more-than-four-in-ten-republicans-now-say-the-us-is-providing-too-much-aid-to-ukraine/">polling indicates that an increasing number of Republican</a> voters want less money and weapons sent to the Eastern European country — not more. 
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum
Pros: Burgum was one of the only candidates on stage who didn’t sound exasperated when speaking. His calm statesman-like approach was appreciated to some degree in contrast to the hyperbolic yelling that has become the norm at these events. He seems like a very likable guy. 
Cons: He just doesn’t have the name recognition, policies, or the “it” factor that could help him win the nomination. He reminds this author of Eugene Levy in &#8220;Best in Show.&#8221;
Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson
Pros: The performance was classic Hutchinson — if that is even a thing. At one or two percent in the polls, it is pretty impressive that he made it to the debate stage at all. If you’re somebody who hasn’t completely given up on Reaganite principles and Bush-era Republicanism — Hutchinson might be your guy. 
Cons: Hutchinson is somebody who hasn’t completely given up on Reaganite principles and Bush-era Republicanism. It is apparent he doesn’t know what decade it is.
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott 
Pros: Scott also didn’t do anything to turn away voters. As a strong supporter of reforming education for all Americans, Scott made a great point that tends to get overlooked in conservative politics these days. 
“The only way we change education in this nation is to break the backs of the teachers unions,” he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
TIM SCOTT says &quot;the only way we change education in this nation is to BREAK THE BACKS OF THE TEACHERS UNIONS&quot; <a href="https://t.co/9Jzw8axHjD">pic.twitter.com/9Jzw8axHjD</a>
&mdash; Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeAngelisCorey/status/1694544388905464129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Scott is right. Even if we got all the woke stuff out of the classroom and barred remote learning from ever happening again, teachers unions would still wield tremendous force. Their goal is to protect all teachers — good and bad — from being fired while increasing benefits regardless of merit. In turn, public education suffers — and your child is left in the dust. 
Cons: Haley outshone him as the traditional GOP choice and his answers were a bit boring. Scott is good at moving around the crowd, which isn’t possible during this style of debate. Perhaps it just wasn’t his format. 
Former Governor Chris Christie
Pros: Christie had one moment that was vintage Christie — nailing down Vivek as “VivekGPT” and comparing him to Obama. Watch here:
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Someone had to unplug the computer. <a href="https://t.co/3dac0fpZ1x">pic.twitter.com/3dac0fpZ1x</a>
&mdash; Chris Christie (@GovChristie) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovChristie/status/1694523799780180315?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Cons: It’s unclear why Christie is running other than to torpedo Trump. He took aim at the absent frontrunner several times Thursday night but failed to land any direct hits.
Former Vice President Mike Pence
Pros: Pence’s best moment came in his defense of the unborn. He spoke with clarity and conviction while making the case that a leader must not govern based on consensus. 
Watch for yourself: 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Can&#39;t we have a minimum standard that says when a baby is capable of feeling pain, an abortion cannot be allowed? <a href="https://twitter.com/Mike_Pence?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Mike_Pence</a> stands for national 15 week pro-life protections at tonight&#39;s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GOPDebate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GOPDebate</a>: <a href="https://t.co/ZPQGIVshPw">pic.twitter.com/ZPQGIVshPw</a>
&mdash; SBA Pro-Life America (@sbaprolife) <a href="https://twitter.com/sbaprolife/status/1694543863157764298?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Cons:  When he wasn’t doing that, he came across as out-of-touch and not in-sync with the base of the party. His solutions were reminiscent — again — of policies from the 1980s and early 2000s. The success of politicians like Trump and DeSantis prove that what worked then won’t work now.
Former President Donald J. Trump 
Pros: By staying out of the spotlight for once, Trump actually might have helped his campaign. He certainly didn’t lose any voters — the only other “MAGA&#8221;-style candidate was Vivek. But his performance certainly wasn&#8217;t commanding enough to replace Trump as the top dog.
The other aspect at play is that many Americans have wondered what a Republican Party without Trump would actually look like. For example, after January 6, many politicians and pundits argued that the GOP should move away from Trump altogether. DeSantis, when first being floated as a GOP contender, was billed as the embodiment of &#8220;Trumpism without Trump.&#8221;
Yet what Americans saw last night is that a GOP without Trump actually looks a lot like the GOP before his ascent. Both in recognition of the problems facing America as well as the policy solutions presented, the majority of candidates offered a pre-2015 Republican Party vision. The party&#8217;s base revolted against that and there remains little to no appetite amongst most Republican voters for a return to a GOP sans populism.
To that extent, just two out of eight candidates came remotely close to offering a “Trumpism without Trump” agenda: DeSantis and Vivek. 
Cons: One sharp political commentator told me in private what were the two biggest risks for Trump not appearing. His no-show performance could hurt him in Iowa. Recent polls showed 59% of Iowans view skipping debates as a weakness, he explained. The second is that his lack of presence could keep challengers in the game for longer. There was no opportunity for Trump to deal a presidential death blow, as we witnessed multiple times in 2016.
As predicted by columnist and friend of The Daily Wire David Marcus, “It will take a week to see how or if the debate moved the polling needle. I’m most curious to see if Trump’s number moves significantly one way or the other.” 
Conclusion
This debate might not move the needle in any direction, but it&#8217;s also unlikely any candidate will be dropping out after that performance.
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The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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GOP Debate, trump

2024 GOP Debate: A Bit Of A Wash For Everybody?

Republican Party

Republican presidential candidate and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum was injured while playing pickup basketball in Milwaukee Tuesday night, bringing his participation in Wednesday night’s GOP debate into question. 
Burgum, 67, was taken to the emergency room, <a href="https://twitter.com/DanaBashCNN/status/1694329853003092112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1694329853003092112%7Ctwgr%5E02c0a325cb98ab3f7345d8eeb68bc31212017f43%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.inforum.com%2Fopinion%2Fcolumns%2Fport-gov-doug-burgum-injured-during-pickup-basketball-game-just-before-pivotal-debate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to CNN’s Dana Bash. Burgum’s campaign <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/north-dakota-gov-doug-burgum-suffers-injury-republican-presidential-debate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Fox News that it is “unclear if he will be able to stand at the debate.” As of Wednesday morning, Burgum was discharged from the hospital, and candidates are scheduled to take part in a walk-through Wednesday afternoon before the debate in Milwaukee. 
The governor confirmed his injury in a post on X Wednesday afternoon but did not say anything about his debate status.
&#8220;I’ve played lots of pick-up games in my day! This isn’t the first time one has sent me to the ER. Appreciate all the well-wishes!&#8221; Burgum wrote.
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I’ve played lots of pick-up games in my day! This isn’t the first time one has sent me to the ER. Appreciate all the well-wishes! 🇺🇸<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamBurgum?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamBurgum</a> <a href="https://t.co/5YL3rCEnCd">pic.twitter.com/5YL3rCEnCd</a>
&mdash; Doug Burgum (Text &quot;DOUG&quot; to 70177) (@DougBurgum) <a href="https://twitter.com/DougBurgum/status/1694371373383143823?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Burgum cleared RNC requirements to appear on stage after hitting the minimum polling criteria and reaching the 40,000 individual donor threshold in part thanks to his campaign handing out $20 gift cards for $1 donations. The governor and former software executive entered the Republican race in June, touting his credentials in business and conservative governance. 
“If you want more small-town common sense in Washington and our big cities, we’ll make that happen,” Burgum <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/07/us/politics/doug-burgum-2024-presidential-campaign.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> a crowd gathered for his announcement. “We need the governor and business leader who understands this changing economy. I want to earn your vote.”
The Republican debate will pit candidates against each other for the first time in the 2024 White House race. Former President Donald Trump, the GOP frontrunner, will not participate, opting to take part in a sit-down interview with former Fox News Host Tucker Carlson. Trump cited his large lead in the polls as the reason he would skip the debate and was met with harsh criticism from some of his GOP opponents.
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Trump’s absence means Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is coming in second place in most polls, and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will stand center stage on Wednesday night. Besides Burgum, five other candidates are slated to join DeSantis and Ramaswamy on stage, including former Vice President Mike Pence, former South Carolina Governor and U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson. 
The first Republican presidential debate begins at 9 p.m. ET on Fox News.

GOP Presidential Candidate Injured In Pickup Basketball Game, ‘Unclear’ If He Can Stand At Debate: Report

GOP Presidential Candidate Injured In Pickup Basketball Game, 'Unclear' If He Can Stand At Debate: Report

Republicans

Former Vice President Mike Pence announced Monday that he had fulfilled the requirements to be on stage for the first Republican presidential primary debate of the 2024 campaign. Pence joins seven other candidates who have already qualified for the August 23 event in Milwaukee. 
Pence’s team said the former vice president cleared the 40,000 individual donor threshold, the final requirement he needed to make the debate stage, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pence-announces-hes-reached-donor-threshold-qualify-first-republican-presidential-debate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The Republican candidate had already met the 1% polling requirement set by the Republican National Committee. 
Pence joins a growing list of Republican candidates to qualify for the debate, including former President Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), former South Carolina Governor and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum. 
Pence’s inclusion sets up a potential showdown between him and his former boss, Donald Trump, but it remains unknown if Trump will participate in the August 23 debate. One of Trump’s advisers said last month that it was unlikely the former president would be on stage in Milwaukee. 
Following Trump’s latest arraignment in a Washington, D.C., court, Pence <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pence-says-trumps-jan-6-indictment-serves-as-important-reminder-for-anyone-who-puts-himself-over-the-constitution" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called out</a> his former running mate, saying the charges are a reminder that he should never be president again. Pence then <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pence-trump-entitled-to-a-presumption-of-innocence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in an interview earlier this week that Trump is “entitled to a presumption of innocence.” 
Pence’s team told Fox News that they reached the donor threshold without any special giveaways. Burgum, a tech billionaire, offered people $20 gift cards in return for a $1 donation, and Ramaswamy started a scheme to pay supporters 10% of any money they help raise for his campaign. 
Trump remains the leader in early polling for the Republican primary with DeSantis consistently polling as his biggest threat from within the party. Pence currently sits in fourth place behind Ramaswamy in the national polling average, <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2024/president/us/2024_republican_presidential_nomination-7548.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Real Clear Politics. 
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Mike Pence Becomes 8th Candidate To Qualify For First GOP Presidential Debate

Republican National Committee (RNC)

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-dakota">North Dakota</a> Governor Doug Burgum said over the weekend that it was important for the U.S. to use energy policy to dominate in its cold war versus communist China.
Burgum, who is running for the Republican Party&#8217;s presidential nomination, made the remarks during an interview with Shannon Bream on &#8220;Fox News Sunday.&#8221;
The 66-year-old said that he is running for president, despite endorsing former President Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020, because he believes &#8220;we need to focus on the things that matter the most to most Americans, and that is the economy.&#8221;
&#8220;I mean we don&#8217;t just need course corrections on the economy, energy, national security, we need 180 degree turn because on the economy, whether it&#8217;s inflation, taxes, spending, deficit, trade, all in the wrong direction,&#8221; Burgum said. &#8220;On energy policy, we should selling energy to our friends and allies instead of buying it from our adversaries.&#8221;
&#8220;And on national security, that starts with border security. And right now we&#8217;ve got an open border,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I&#8217;ve been down there with the National Guard troops of North Dakota, and it&#8217;s completely unreported what&#8217;s going on down there. And all of these things are affecting every American.&#8221;
Burgum then discussed the issue of China, saying that while it is a cold war, it&#8217;s different than when the U.S. was in a cold war against Russia.
&#8220;When Ronald Reagan was leading this country and we were in a Cold War with Russia, Russia had a small economy, they weren&#8217;t very connected,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And we were able to just outperform them with our economy. And with our strong economy, we&#8217;re able to have a strong military.&#8221;
&#8220;Now in our cold war with China, we&#8217;ve got to get our economy sprinting. It&#8217;s crawling right now. And part of the reason it&#8217;s crawling is this incredible red tape. I&#8217;ve seen the red tape as an entrepreneur, as a small business person. I&#8217;ve seen it running large global businesses,&#8221; he said, adding that the U.S. needed to be &#8220;much smarter about how we manage this.&#8221;
&#8220;And I&#8217;ll give you one horrible example: Putin likely doesn&#8217;t even invade Ukraine, if not for having all of Western Europe dependent on his energy,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Well, then belatedly, the Biden administration says we&#8217;re going to put sanctions on Russian oil. And that takes some Russian oil out of our markets. But Russia selling oil 20 to 30% off to who? To China. China, the world&#8217;s largest importer of oil and gas in the world. And we&#8217;re over there with Blinken, Yellen, Kerry, and nobody&#8217;s even talking about how we can use energy policy as a lever in our relationship in the cold war with China.&#8221;
WATCH:
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North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum stopped by &quot;Fox News Sunday&quot; for an interview. <a href="https://t.co/NvJT1qIu5L">pic.twitter.com/NvJT1qIu5L</a>
&mdash; Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) <a href="https://twitter.com/jasonrantz/status/1685845547587162112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Burgum Highlights Key ‘Lever’ Needed To Win Cold War Versus China

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