​BURGUM DISAPPOINTS WITH TRUMP ENDORSEMENT

Many were disappointed recently when Republican candidate for Governor Doug Burgum decided to endorse Donald Trump. Burgum has seen support throughout his campaign from progressives who feel he would be a good Governor with a strong business sense that doesn’t tow the party line on issues like gay rights and abortion. Because he was so out front on the Trump nomination however, he will see some of that support disappear.

Now Burgum states the obvious, saying he will support the nominee of the Republican Party for president, which if he’s running as a Republican, he may see himself as having to do. And it was a way to separate him from his fellow Republican opponent Wayne Stenehjem who up until that point had not endorsed Trump.

Stenehjem promptly issued a weak, lukewarm endorsement which basically said Hillary sucks, didn’t mention Trump by name and also said he will support the eventual nominee. Burgum however touted Trump’s business credentials and outsider status.

Burgum later said he doesn’t support everything Trump says. Well, who does when they endorse someone? The problem is there is something wrong with almost everything he says, which manages to offend someone. It’s why he has the highest negatives of anyone who is a potential Presidential nominee for a major party.

If moderates like Senator John Hoeven, Governor Jack Dalrymple and Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem can’t bring themselves to get excited about an inevitable Trump nomination, then why should Doug Burgum?

Of course, it’s no surprise that Hoeven, Dalrymple and Stenehjem didn’t want to expend some of their vast political capital on someone like Trump. Those three have never been ones to say or do anything which affected their high approval ratings, certainly not wholeheartedly supporting someone as controversial as Trump, who many moderates feel will be beaten handily by Hillary Clinton in a general election matchup.

Who knows, they may have been some of the orchestrators of the party hierarchy who decided to endorse Ted Cruz at the ND GOP Convention a month ago over Trump when he was the last chance to stop Trump’s nomination. It didn’t work and while Hoeven, Dalrymple and Stenehjem didn’t publicly endorse at the time, you can bet they imparted their opinions behind the scenes.

A lot of the times they like to have it both ways, not making anyone mad, like when Dalrymple stated that the ND Legislature missed an opportunity to move North Dakota forward when it failed to pass gay discrimination protection during the last session. But he made that statement after they already voted on the matter, when his support could have no effect on it. He was attempting to have it both ways and not affect him politically.

Don Larson, Hoeven’s campaign manager, said in an email Wednesday to the Bismarck Tribune that “Sen. Hoeven is not endorsing in the presidential race. He will support the nominee of the party.” How’s that for threading a needle? If he wins, he can say he supports the nominee. If he loses, he can say he didn’t endorse anyone.

Of course, we thought Burgum might be different, not someone beholden to party leaders. There comes a point in time when moderates need to reject the party line. Burgum has done that in the past on gay rights including when Dalrymple didn’t until after it was voted on.

He seemed to be different. But getting out in front of the Trump train is not going to separate him from the pack in a good way.

Congressman Kevin Cramer was the first to wholeheartedly endorse Donald Trump back in March at the ND GOP Convention. He is, of course, more conservative than the other elected Republicans in the state and has no problem aligning himself with the conservative wing of the party. It is the core of his support. He may not have the 70% approval that Hoeven and the others have but he doesn’t care. Say what you will about Cramer, at least he has the guts to stick up for something even when it’s not politically expedient.

I don’t think that’s what’s happening with Burgum. He saw a chance to get an edge over Stenehjem in the Governor’s race. The problem is grabbing that edge with the Trump nomination is not the place to get it. If that’s a major difference between him and Stenehjem, it may be enough to cause some to look at Stenehjem instead.

There is a Democrat in the race, Marvin Nelson. It may be well past time for progressives to look at supporting him. You will not have to worry about him endorsing Donald Trump. This is the mess the Republicans have put themselves in, tripping over themselves not to endorse the inevitable candidate of their party.

I do not feel sorry for them. And I would have a hard time voting for anyone who used the endorsement of Trump as a wedge to get an edge in whatever race they are in.