#Burgum pens op-ed to defend his continued candidacy

Republican presidential candidate and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum penned an op-ed published Thursday defending his continued candidacy.

“I know what it’s like to be the underdog,” he wrote in the opinion piece that ran in The Jamestown Sun, a publication based out of North Dakota.

Burgum said he wanted to run for president to give a voice to the people who have been overlooked by “elites on both coasts and the politicians in Washington, D.C.” It’s why he is still running despite not qualifying for the Wednesday night GOP debate, he said. He narrowly qualified for the second debate in Oct. and has trailed in polling compared to the other hopefuls.

The North Dakota businessman argued that political insiders are trying to “artificially narrow the field” before voting begins by nationalizing what is “meant to be a state-by-state, voter-driven primary process.”

Burgum pointed to his 2016 gubernatorial race, in which he trailed in polling and ultimately won. He said insiders tried to oust him in 2016 and he is “not about to let D.C. insiders force me out now.”

Burgum claimed more prepared to be president than any other GOP candidates who were on the debate stage in Miami this week, despite failing to meet the qualifying conditions set forth by the RNC, which include polling requirements.

“I’ve spent more time in the private sector than some of the other candidates have been alive!” he wrote. “I know what it means to sign the front of a paycheck, not just the back.”

The candidate said he will continue to push forward in Iowa and New Hampshire as the race heats up.

“America loves an underdog, and voters who hear our message understand how important focusing on the economy, energy and national security is to America’s future,” Burgum wrote.