Trump Running Mate, North Dakota Governor Emerges as Leading Candidate

Evaluated as the Right Candidate to Attract Support from Moderate Conservative Voters

Doug Burgum, Governor of North Dakota, is rapidly emerging as the running mate (vice presidential candidate) for former President Donald Trump, who was confirmed as the Republican candidate in the upcoming U.S. presidential election this November.

According to foreign media on the 28th (local time), Trump's camp is reportedly focusing on Governor Burgum as a suitable candidate who can attract support from moderate conservatives and centrist voters.

Foreign media, citing sources, reported that former President Trump mentioned Governor Burgum during recent discussions with close aides. Last month, it was reported that Trump invited Governor Burgum and his wife to Mar-a-Lago, his private resort in Florida, for an Easter meal.

Governor Burgum is also actively participating in Trump’s presidential campaign. After delivering the keynote speech at a Republican dinner event in Virginia earlier this month, he recently visited the New Hampshire campaign headquarters at the request of the Trump camp. New Hampshire is known for its strong moderate conservative support, and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who withdrew from the Republican presidential primary, secured 43% of the vote there in the January primary.

Governor Burgum is an entrepreneur who ran an accounting software (SW) company. He declared his presidential candidacy last June but withdrew in December. In January of this year, before the first Republican presidential caucus in Iowa, he announced his support for former President Trump. At that time, Trump referred to Governor Burgum as "one of the best governors in our country" and said, "I hope to call him a very important member of the administration." Burgum’s administrative experience as governor and his ability to attract moderate conservative support are cited as advantages that could provide the stability Trump lacks.

Trump’s running mate will be decided at the Republican National Convention in July, where the presidential and vice presidential candidates are officially nominated. Besides Governor Burgum, other vice presidential candidates mentioned include Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican senator; Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota; Representative Elise Stefanik; and Senator J.D. Vance.

Meanwhile, on the same day, U.S. CNN reported poll results showing that despite the intensification of Trump’s criminal trial, it has not significantly affected his approval ratings. According to a CNN poll conducted from the 18th to the 23rd, former President Trump leads President Biden with 49% support compared to Biden’s 43% (margin of error ±3.4 percentage points). Compared to the January poll, Trump’s approval rating remained steady, while Biden’s dropped slightly from 45%.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.