JUST IN: Trump Scores Major Endorsement From Former 2024 Primary Opponent

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, who recently withdrew from his own presidential bid, has endorsed Donald Trump for president. The endorsement was announced at a Trump event in Indianola, Iowa on Sunday.

Burgum, who ended his campaign after struggling in the polls and failing to qualify for key GOP debates, made his endorsement public on stage, stating, “I’m here to do something that none of the other presidential primary candidates have done, and that endorses Donald J. Trump for president.”

The move comes as Trump continues to lead in the polls ahead of the Iowa caucuses.

“President Trump protected our borders. He cut red tape like no president has ever done before. He passed the largest tax cuts in the history of America and he supercharged our economy,” said Bergum.

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Burgum has had a relationship with Trump that can be characterized as generally supportive and aligned with Republican party policies. Burgum, a businessman like Trump, has shown support for Trump’s policies, particularly those related to energy and economic issues, which are significant for North Dakota.

His support for Trump has been evident in various instances, such as his endorsement of Trump’s re-election campaign.

Trump, who introduced Burgum and his wife at the event, is now consolidating support among GOP elites. The endorsement is particularly impactful as it comes from a former primary opponent, signaling a coalescing of Republican support around Trump’s candidacy.

“President Trump is going to win the Republican nomination,” Bergum told CNN on Monday. “It’s not going to be close. He’s going to be up against Joe Biden. And as a governor and as a business person, I’ve had an opportunity to see what it’s like under each of those presidents.”

“And I can tell you in our state, which is an energy state, an ag state, we were much better off under President Trump. And I know when we campaign on three things: economy, energy, national security. Those things are all three interrelated. Joe Biden’s taking this country in 180 degrees the wrong direction. And I know that under a Trump administration, we’re going to be going in the right direction on that.”

With Trump appearing to be poised for a significant win, his campaign has been marked by a series of endorsements from key figures, further solidifying his position as the frontrunner in the Republican primary.

As we approach ‘Super Tuesday’ in the 2024 Presidential Primary election, the final polls are emerging which show Trump retaining his early lead.

Polling from The Trafalgar Group and Insider Advantage shows that former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have closed to within one point of one another at 18.5% and 19.3% respectively.

📊 IOWA GOP CAUCUS FINAL POLL

• Trump — 52.1% (+32.8)
• DeSantis — 19.3%
• Haley — 18.5%
• Ramaswamy — 6.5%
• Hutchinson — 0.7%

• Trafalgar (B) | @InsiderPolling (B)
• 1,092 LV | 01/12-14 | MoE: ±2.9%https://t.co/RyNWfQSweR pic.twitter.com/0wU4t3f8RF

— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) January 15, 2024

Trump enjoys a nearly unassailable 52.1% in the poll, a commanding lead of 32.8 points.

The Iowa caucuses begin Monday evening Jan. 15th. While Trump’s dominance in the contest remains almost completely assured, the runner-up slot, crucial to the continuation of any serious campaign, appears to be wide open with Haley and DeSantis statistically neck and neck, and a Ramaswamy breakaway not impossible.