Doug Burgum
Historical Details
Position on Issues
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Burgum has not specifically addressed whether certain firearms should be banned, but he would likely oppose any such law. In 2021 he signed a proclamation designating North Dakota as a "Second Amendment Sanctuary State."
"Both the U.S. Constitution and North Dakota Constitution recognize our citizens' inalienable right to keep and bear arms, and designating North Dakota as a Second Amendment Sanctuary State sends a strong message to Congress and the White House that we will firmly resist any attempts to infringe on those rights," he said.
Burgum also signed a 2017 bill that allows North Dakotans to carry a concealed firearm without a license.
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2023
Do you support abolishing any federal agencies or departments?
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In an op-ed Burgum wrote, "This year we achieved pension reform, helped pass term limits, and enacted the biggest tax cut in state history. I can do the same for America. The U.S. has the hardest-working people in the world. But we need new leadership to unleash our potential."
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Candidate's Twitter Feed, 2023
"Bidenomics — a toxic blend of debt-exploding spending and anti-American energy policy — threatens the American dream and squanders the potential for another great American century."
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2023
Should the federal government combat inflation by capping price increases by large businesses?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2023
Do you support mandatory competency tests for federal candidates over age 75?
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Candidate's Facebook Page, 2018
While Burgum has not specifically addressed tariffs going forward, he opposed the higher tariffs on Chinese goods under former President Trump.
"These proposed tariffs are particularly concerning for North Dakotans considering China is our fourth-largest export market and a major buyer of our agricultural products, including our No. 1 export market for soybeans," Burgum said. "Disrupting that trade relationship puts our farmers at a disadvantage, and we urge the administration to negotiate a deal that benefits U.S. producers and blocks these proposed retaliatory tariffs from taking effect."
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Like most presidential candidates, Burgum has not clearly said how far he will go to defend Taiwan if China attacks. In June 2023 he said, "Our objective should be to deter China from attacking Taiwan in the first place by preparing to defend Taiwan and win if necessary. That requires an intense focus on economic statecraft as well as military deterrence in a manner we don’t see from this administration."
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"The reason why people are striking in Detroit is because of Joe Biden's interference with capital markets and free markets. The subsidies — we're subsidizing the automakers and we're subsidizing the cars, and a particular kind of car, not every car. We’re particularly — we're subsidizing electric vehicles. And when you decide that we’re going to take all of your taxpayer monies, take a billion dollars, subsidize a certain type of vehicle, and the batteries come from China.
"China controls 85 percent of the rare-earth minerals. They’re called rare-earth because they are measured in parts per million. China is moving 100,000 pounds of earth in Indonesia, in Africa, they’re literally destroying the planet so that we can make them make a battery that's in a car subsidized here. That’s why they're striking – because they need two-thirds less [sic] workers to make an electric car. This strike is at Joe Biden's feet."
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Burgum has not spoken specifically about ending normal trade relations with China. When addressing China he often focuses on energy policy rather than trade. At the second Republican presidential primary debate he said, "we’re in a Cold War with China, the Biden administration won’t admit that. But we’re also in a economic war through what we’re doing with agriculture and energy. And we’re also in a war with them relative to cyber war. We get attacked every day in North Dakota, every state, every school district, our tribes, all being attacked every day by either China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea. ... And at the core of all that is energy policy because China imports 10 million barrels of oil a day. They’re the largest import in the world. And we’ve had four cabinet members from the Biden administration there this summer, and none of them talked about US energy. The first one to go to each of those countries was Kerry, to talk about the folly of the climate policy, which is making the world less stable. It’s empowering dictators. It’s not about climate change that we need be worried about. It’s about the Biden climate policies that are actually the existential threat to America’s future."
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As governor of North Dakota, Burgum signed House Bills 1249 and 1489, banning transgender athletes from competing in women's sports at the K-12 and collegiate levels.
"North Dakota continues to have a level playing field and fairness in girls’ sports. Over the past two years, with more than 27,000 students participating in North Dakota high school sports under current North Dakota High School Activities Association rules, there still has not been a single recorded incident of a transgender girl playing or entering the process to even ask to play on a North Dakota girls’ team," he said at the time. "Nevertheless, the Legislature has now resoundingly determined that restrictions beyond the 2022 NDHSAA rules for girls’ sports should be codified in state law."
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Burgum signed a strict abortion ban as Governor of North Dakota, but says he would not sign an abortion ban at the federal level.
In a 2023 Meet the Press interview, he said, "Well, my position is that I support the Dobbs decision, and this is the decision that should be left to the states. And what's going to pass in North Dakota is not ever going to pass in California and New York, and wouldn't even pass in the state of Minnesota. I -- that's why I'm on the record saying that I would not sign a federal abortion ban."
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Burgum signed a strict abortion ban as Governor of North Dakota, and generally opposes abortion laws at the federal level.
In a 2023 Meet the Press interview, he said, "Well, my position is that I support the Dobbs decision, and this is the decision that should be left to the states. And what's going to pass in North Dakota is not ever going to pass in California and New York, and wouldn't even pass in the state of Minnesota. I -- that's why I'm on the record saying that I would not sign a federal abortion ban."
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Candidate's Website, 2023
"A key reason we need to empower American innovation is to dramatically increase energy production. Doug knows we need to stop buying energy from our enemies and start selling energy to our friends and allies. America produces energy cleaner and safer than anywhere else in the world. When America becomes truly energy independent and supports our allies we prevent wars like Putin started in Ukraine. We stabilize the globe and restore America as the leader of the free world."
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Burgum has not specifically addressed age minimums for firearm purchases. However, in 2021 he signed a proclamation designating North Dakota as a "Second Amendment Sanctuary State."
"Both the U.S. Constitution and North Dakota Constitution recognize our citizens' inalienable right to keep and bear arms, and designating North Dakota as a Second Amendment Sanctuary State sends a strong message to Congress and the White House that we will firmly resist any attempts to infringe on those rights," he said.
Burgum also signed a 2017 bill that allows North Dakotans to carry a concealed firearm without a license.
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While Burgum has expressed support for decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level, he also opposed a 2018 ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana use in North Dakota. "My personal stance against full, unfettered legalization of recreational marijuana has not changed," he said.
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2023
Should the federal government reform Social Security by requiring means testing?
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Burgum has not specifically addressed a border wall with Mexico. However, he frequently criticizes Pres. Biden for failing to secure the border.
"The threat to national security grows every day that the Biden administration abdicates the responsibility of the federal government to secure our borders – failing to enforce existing immigration laws and failing to dedicate the resources needed to stop the tide of illegal immigration and drug trafficking that endangers lives in communities across our country," Burgum said.
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2023
Do you support using military force against drug cartels inside Mexico?
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Burgum believes the U.S. should continue to provide support to Ukraine, but also believes there should be audits of financial support. "Russia cannot have a win coming out of this, because if it’s a win for them, it’s a win for China," he said. "And so, I just say, again, every time the U.S spends dollars, whether it’s defense or whether it’s on healthcare or any program, there ought to be transparency and accountability, and that’s one thing we brought in North Dakota."
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Other, 2022
While Burgum has not specifically addressed a tax on unrealized capital gains, he generally opposes higher income tax rates. For example, in his 2023 North Dakota budget address he said, "To make our state a more attractive, affordable place to live and give us an advantage as we compete for workers, we can and should adopt the lowest flat-rate income tax in the nation. The income tax relief plan proposed in our budget will eliminate the state individual income tax for three out of five taxpayers. The remaining income taxpayers will see their liability reduced by roughly one-quarter to one-half, allowing North Dakotans to keep more of their hard-earned money."
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"'Whether it’s for Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, or Donald Trump, everybody is innocent until proven guilty in this country,' Burgum said on Meet the Press on Sunday. 'But if somebody came up and said this person’s been accused, there hasn’t evidence — there hasn't been one day of a trial in 2025, would you pardon them? Those are hypothetical questions, and any governor that understands his role would never speculate on that because it hasn’t played out.'
"'It’s like trying to jump ahead of the entire court system, and I respect the judicial branches have got their job.'"
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2023
Do you support allowing the federal government to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs covered under Medicare?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2023
Should the federal government privatize some or all of Social Security?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2023
Should the federal government reform social security by raising the cap on income subject to the Social Security tax?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2023
Should the federal government reform Social Security by raising the retirement age from today's age of 67?
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Candidate's Website, 2023
"Doug will get inflation under control, cut taxes, lower gas prices, reduce the cost of living and help people realize their fullest potential."
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In 2022 Burgum released a statement that "The Biden administration should also commit now to a plan to ... provide an immediate waiver to the Jones Act to reduce shipping costs"
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As Governor of North Dakota, Burgum released the following statement:
"Instead of focusing on reducing the rising costs of higher education, the President’s blatantly political and financially reckless plan will only incent institutions to raise tuition prices even faster while also encouraging more student borrowing and driving up inflation even further, hitting every American in the pocketbook whether they attended college or not. This horribly misguided and incredibly unfair plan undermines a core American principle that individuals are responsible for paying off their own personal debts. This federal action will not affect student loans held by the Bank of North Dakota, and we would strongly oppose any copycat legislation at the state level. North Dakotans, like the majority of Americans, believe shifting college student loan debt onto the backs of their fellow citizens is fundamentally wrong."
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2023
Should the federal government combat inflation by supporting further Federal Reserve interest rate hikes?
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