(NewsNation) — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has suspended his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.
Burgum announced the decision ahead of the fourth GOP debate, which he failed to qualify for after appearing in the first two debates.
“We remain committed to improving the lives of every American by moving America 180 degrees in the opposite direction of Joe Biden on three critical issues – the economy, energy, and national security,” Burgum said in a statement from his campaign.
Burgum is the seventh candidate to suspend his campaign, following Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, former Rep. Will Hurd of Texas, businessman Perry Johnson, talk radio host Larry Elder, former Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina.
Elder and Johnson endorsed former President Donald Trump as they left the race, while Hurd endorsed former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. Burgum has not yet announced if he is endorsing any of the remaining candidates.
Trump has remained the front-runner in the race, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Haley jockeying for second place, followed by entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is also in the race, though he failed to qualify for the latest debate.
Burgum criticized the Republican National Committee in his announcement, calling the debate criteria “arbitrary” and unhealthy for the party.
“The RNC’s clubhouse debate requirements are nationalizing the primary process and taking the power of democracy away from the engaged, thoughtful citizens of Iowa and New Hampshire. The RNC’s mission is to win elections. It is not their mission to reduce competition and restrict fresh ideas by ‘narrowing the field’ months before the Iowa caucuses or the first in the nation New Hampshire primary,” Burgum said.
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