Republican presidential hopeful, Doug Burgum officially suspended his campaign for President of the United States on Monday. 

We launched our campaign with a clear-eyed mission: Bring a business leader and proven governor’s voice to fight for the best of America. We will always remain committed to fighting for that, and for the people who make our nation so exceptional. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ugSM7SysxS

— Doug Burgum (Text "DOUG" to 70177) (@DougBurgum) December 4, 2023

Burgum, who is the current Governor of North Dakota since 2016, stated his campaign failed to meet the threshold for the most recent presidential debates, according to NBC. Burgum was not satisfied with the debate qualification rules that were set forth by the RNC. 

"The RNC’s clubhouse debate requirements are nationalizing the primary process and taking the power of democracy away from the engaged, thoughtful citizens of Iowa and New Hampshire," Burgum said in a statement bashing the rules that kept him out of recent debates.

"The RNC’s mission is to win elections," he continued. "It is not their mission to reduce competition and restrict fresh ideas by ‘narrowing the field’ months before the Iowa caucuses or the first in the nation New Hampshire primary. These arbitrary criteria ensure advantages for candidates from major media markets on the coasts versus America’s Heartland."

Burgumn went on further, stating that the debate criteria set forth by the RNC does not reflect at all, the qualifications to serve as the President of the United States. Stating in part that the rules were "unhealthy" for the future of the Republican Party. The campaign's suspension comes just weeks after a trip to Des Moines, Iowa, when Burgum stated that he would not suspend his campaign before January 23rd, 2024, which is the primary election for New Hampshire. 

"We’re going through all the effort to get our name on all 50 state ballots," he said at the time. "Iowa, New Hampshire, absolutely positively. We’re going to be here. We’re going to be campaigning in Iowa camping and New Hampshire. Voters get to decide not pundits."

Burgum's campaign has underperformed for some time, his numbers consistently showing that he was trailing several of the other Republican candidates in polls for the Republican nomination. As it stands currently, former President Donald Trump is still leading in the national polls, with a 58.8% lead over the rest of the pack. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis comes in at a very distant second place at 13.3% percent.