GOP Presidential hopeful Gov. Doug Burgum takes on Iowa State Fair

Published: Aug. 11, 2023 at 4:13 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Presidential candidate and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum joined a number of other candidates campaigning at the Iowa State Fair.

Gov. Burgum said fairs are important for engaging different parts of the community, especially in the Midwest.

“Anyone who’s grown up anywhere in the Midwest knows how important fairs are. We just completed the North Dakota State Fair recently. And of course, the Iowa State Fair is a fantastic congregation. People from across the state see all these young four kids. You see the the entertainment, the companies, the sponsors. And this year, of course, politicians are here campaigning.”

Gov. Burgum is up against a growing number of Republican candidates, but said he isn’t worried about the size of the field.

“Competition’s great for America, it’s great for the Republican party and I think it’s a very small pool and in that pool we love the way we stack up,” Gov. Burgum said.

Eight candidates are qualified for the upcoming GOP debate later this month. Gov. Burgum managed to secure his debate spot before former Vice President Mike Pence qualified.

Gov. Burgum was a businessman before he was governor of North Dakota, which he said gives him an advantage to understanding the economy.

“The President is the CEO of America,” Gov. Burgum said. “I don’t think anybody should be President of the United States if you haven’t had an opportunity to create jobs in the private sector, be an entrepreneur, be a small business person. I’ve had the opportunity to do that and I’ve had the chance to lead global businesses.”

As far as policy, Gov. Burgum said competition with China is a top concern.

“The number one challenge facing American right now is our economy and our number one international challenge is China,” Gov. Burgum said. “We’re in a cold war with China.”

Gov. Burgum later said improving the economy is the key to winning the competition with China.