North Dakota GOP Gov. Doug Burgum is reportedly surging as a potential running mate for presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
Trump has maintained a running mate will not win you an election but must be suitable to be a potential presidential successor, making the steady Burgum an intriguing low-risk option that might pull in moderates this November, sources told Axios on Sunday.
Burgum was one of the earliest 2024 presidential primary candidates to endorse Trump and has joined the president on the campaign trail in the early primary states, earning Trump's praise for his leadership in North Dakota, particularly on energy.
Burgum spent time back in New Hampshire this week, stumping for Trump in one of the more independent-leaning states on the 2024 election ledger.
Late last month, Burgum and wife Kathryn joined Trump and first lady Melania for Easter Brunch, potentially laying out campaign plans, sources told Axios.
Since, Trump has increasing brought Burgum's name up as an important future member of a potential Trump administration, according to the report.
As the governor of North Dakota, Burgum has been a key figure in the fight over the Dakota Access Pipeline that Trump has hailed as an efficient and cleaner way to pump oil to America's heartland, helping to lower fuel costs that have soared amid massive inflation under President Joe Biden.
Burgum, 67, is seen as a reliable and low-drama running mate for Trump, who last picked former VP Mike Pence, the former governor of Indiana, under similar criteria – albeit to deleterious results during the 2020 presidential election challenge seeking to investigate election integrity.
Burgum is one of the few 2024 GOP presidential primary candidates to draw praise from Trump, as most received the former president's ire for staging opposition to his campaign to return to the White House.
"He was outstanding, but the traction is never easy, right?" Trump said as Burgum joined Trump on the stump for Iowa caucuses in January. "This guy is the most solid guy. There's no controversy whatsoever.
"He's one of the best governors in our country, and I hope that I'm going to be able to call on him to be a piece of the administration, a very important piece of the administration."
Trump's VP selection process might come to a head soon, as June has been considered a month to declare a running mate and a donor retreat May 3-5 is planned with Trump as a special guest with many of the top candidates.
The invitation for that event includes VP candidates, according to Politico: Sens. Tim Scott, R-S.C.; J.D. Vance, R-Ohio; Marco Rubio, R-Fla.; Reps. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y.; Byron Donalds, R-Fla.; Govs. Burgum and Kristi Noem of South Dakota.
Also attending, albeit not bandied about as VP candidates, will be, Politico reported: House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.; Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla.; Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; Reps. Jim Banks, R-Ind.; Wesley Hunt, R-Texas; Senate candidates Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania and Bernie Moreno of Ohio; and former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway.