Where Doug Burgum stands on issues that matter to voters

For more on Doug Burgum as a potential VP pick for Donald Trump, click here.

(NewsNation) — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum was elected to public office for the first time in 2016, and now, he’s seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

A businessman by trade, he became the president of Great Plains Software in 1984, a company he would go on to sell to Microsoft. Forbes estimated his net worth to be around 100 million dollars this year, making him one of the wealthier 2024 hopefuls, falling behind only entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former President Donald Trump.

He announced his candidacy in June and did enough to qualify for the first two Republican primary debates. On the campaign trail, he points to his track record as governor, touting the state’s work to expand its energy sector.

He has said that fixing the economy would be his top priority as president, leaning on his record as governor when he passed reforms on pensions, lowered taxes and called for increasing domestic energy production and strengthening the value of the dollar around the world.

Ahead of the 2024 election, NewsNation is committed to covering the issues that matter most to voters so they can make the most informed choices possible at the polls. You can also read similar policy breakdowns of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former President Donald Trump, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Here’s a look at Burgum’s policy positions and political views as he competes for your vote:

Border crisis and immigration

• Burgum deployed state National Guard members to the southern U.S. border to help with Texas’ Operation Lone Star
• He has visited the border and said securing it is a matter of national security
• North Dakota established an Office of Legal Immigration that is intended to help solve workforce challenges by helping businesses pursue legal immigrants to employ

Crime and criminal justice reform

• North Dakota implemented criminal justice reform under Burgum, including a bill to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for some drug offenses
• At the first Republican debate, Burgum suggested “small-town values” could help reduce gun crime

Guns and mental health

• In 2021, Burgum signed a bill designating North Dakota as a “Second Amendment Sanctuary State,” reinforcing the state’s support for the right to bear arms
• At the second GOP debate, he said restrictive gun laws aren’t working and said the United States needs to address other areas like “family” and mental health

Stance on Israel and Palestine, the war in Ukraine

• Burgum supports military aid for Ukraine but told Forbes there can be no “blank check” for the country in its defense against invading Russian forces
• He would consider sending U.S. troops to Israel, Burgum said at a campaign event in October
• He criticized President Joe Biden’s administration for relying on Qatar to negotiate with Hamas to release hostages taken in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel

Economy, inflation and oil

• Promotes an “innovation over regulation” policy, according to his campaign website
• Says if elected he will lower inflation and gas prices, cut taxes and reduce the cost of living
• Wants America to be “energy independent” and reduce purchasing of foreign oil

Teacher shortage and pronouns

• Burgum signed an executive order in September creating a task force designed to address the state’s chronic teacher shortage
• He supports innovation as a means of improving student success
• In May, he signed a bill that outlaws pronoun policies in schools
• While he has championed school choice, he vetoed a bill in April that would have offset the cost for some families who send their children to private school

Child care availability and costs

• He signed a $66 million child care package that will go toward a state-run assistance program, incentivize more providers to provide child care and give stipends to child care workers
• Burgum signaled support for a larger federal child tax credit

Rural development

• In his 2023 State of the State address, Burgum called for more infrastructure investment
• He signed a bill in April that will provide $25 million for agriculture development and diversification
• In 2021, Burgum signed a bill that provided tens of millions for infrastructure projects around the state

China, Taiwan and TikTok

• Burgum has said the United States is in a “cold war” with China
• He has called Chinese President Xi Jinping a “brutal dictator,” a characterization President Joe Biden has also made
• Last year, Burgum signed an executive order banning TikTok on state-owned devices
• At the first Republican debate, Burgum said China is the No. 1 issue the United States is facing and called for placing anti-ship missiles in Taiwan

Fentanyl crisis, opioid epidemic 

• Burgum has called for urgency in addressing the fentanyl epidemic, including strengthening border security
• Approved a bill that created a special penalty for illegal drug sellers and suppliers
• Emphasized the need to target China for providing precursor chemicals used to manufacture drugs in Mexico
• At a recent town hall in New Hampshire, Burgum said he would treat addiction and mental health as a health care issue

Climate change and energy production

• Announced a goal to make North Dakota a carbon-neutral state by 2030, using an “all-of-the-above” approach to energy production and rejecting federal mandates
• He said at a recent town hall that the U.S. Bureau of Land Management should allow energy-related activities on the 240 million acres of land it oversees

Social Security

• Signed a bill in 2021 exempting Social Security income from state income tax
• In a recent interview, he said discussions need to be had about how to make the system solvent, including high economic growth and fewer government regulations

Abortion