Watch 'Conversation with the Candidate' with Doug Burgum

2024 SPECIAL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEW HAMPSHIRE INSTITUTE OF POLITICS CONVERSATION WITH THE CANDIDATE AND NOW NORTH DAKOTA GOVERNOR DOUG BURGUM. HELLO AND WELCOME TO OUR CONVERSATION WITH THE CANDIDATE SERIES. I’M ADAM SEXTON AND OUR GUEST IS NORTH DAKOTA GOVERNOR DOUG BURGUM. WE’LL BE GETTING TO KNOW THE GOVERNOR BETTER AND WHERE HE STANDS ON KEY ISSUES AT THE START OF THE PROGRAM, I’LL BE ASKING THE CANDIDATES SOME QUESTIONS AND THEN AFTER A BREAK, WE’LL HAVE OUR STUDIO AUDIENCE ASK THEIR QUESTIONS IN A TOWN HALL FORMAT. BUT BEFORE WE BEGIN WITH THAT, LET’S TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT THE CANDIDATES BIOGRAPHY. DOUG BURGUM IS IN HIS SECOND TERM AS GOVERNOR OF NORTH DAKOTA, FIRST ELECTED IN 2016, AND REELECTED IN 2020. PRIOR TO PUBLIC SERVICE, HE GREW GREAT PLAINS SOFTWARE FAIR IN FARGO AS CEO FROM A STARTUP TO $1 BILLION COMPANY SERVICING MORE THAN 140,000 CUSTOMERS ACROSS 132 COUNTRIES. THE SOFTWARE COMPANY EMPLOYING SEVERAL THOUSAND PEOPLE WAS ULTIMATELY ACQUIRED BY MICROSOFT. BURGUM STAYED ON WITH MICROSOFT FOR SEVERAL YEARS AS A SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT. AFTER THAT, HE FOUNDED TWO ADDITIONAL COMPANIES, ONE IN REAL ESTATE, THE OTHER A VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM IN ANNOUNCING HIS RUN FOR PRESIDENT, BURGUM HAS CITED THE NEED FOR, QUOTE, A NEW LEADER FOR A CHANGING ECONOMY AND HIGHLIGHTED HIS BACKGROUND IN ENERGY POLICY. GIVEN NORTH DAKOTA’S ROLE IN PRODUCTION, BURGUM EARNED A BACHELOR’S DEGREE FROM NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY AND AN MBA FROM STANFORD. HE’S MARRIED TO KATHRYN AND HAS TWO SONS AND A DAUGHTER. GOVERNOR BURGUM, THANKS FOR JOINING US ON CONVERSATION WITH THE CANDIDATE. ADAM FANTASTIC TO BE WITH YOU. THANKS FOR HAVING US. SO WE HEARD IT IN THE BIO PACKAGE. NORTH DAKOTA IS AN ENERGY PRODUCING STATE, ONE OF THE TOP IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. SO HOW DOES ENERGY POLICY CHANGE UNDER A DOUG BURGUM ADMINISTRATION IN THE WHITE HOUSE? WELL, ENERGY POLICY IS TOTALLY TIED TO THE ECONOMY AND IT’S TOTALLY TIED TO NATIONAL SECURITY. AND ANYBODY WHO LIVES IN NEW ENGLAND AND NEW HAMPSHIRE UNDERSTANDS THAT THEY’RE PAYING TOO MUCH, THEY’RE PAYING TOO MUCH AT THE PUMP, AND THEY’RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THEIR ELECTRICAL BILL AND THEY’RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THEIR HEATING OIL. WE JUST DON’T NEED A COURSE CORRECTION. WE NEED 180 DEGREE TURN FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ON ENERGY POLICY. AND IF WAS GOING TO SUM IT UP, ADAM B ONE THING IT WOULD BE THAT WE SHOULD BE SELLING ENERGY TO OUR FRIENDS AND ALLIES VERSUS BUYING IT FROM OUR ENEMIES AND IF WAS GOING TO SAY, WELL, THEN HOW DO YOU PART OF HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE THAT? PART OF IT IS WE’VE GOT TO DRIVE INNOVATION, NOT REGULATE, BECAUSE THIS ADMINISTRATION IS ACTUALLY TRYING TO REGULATE THE US ENERGY INDUSTRY OUT OF BUSINESS. YEAH. EXPLAIN MORE ON THAT, BECAUSE THE WASHINGTON POST WAS REPORTING IN MARCH THAT BIDEN HAS APPROVED MORE PERMITS FOR DRILLING AT THIS POINT IN HIS PRESIDENCY THAN TRUMP DID IN HIS. SO WHAT’S THE ISSUE? WELL, THE THE ISSUE IS, IS THAT THAT’S BASICALLY A I DON’T CALL IT A HEAD FAKE. IF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND BASKETBALL, THAT THAT BIDEN IS THE ONLY PRESIDENT SINCE HARRY TRUMAN, THAT DIDN’T HOLD THE QUARTERLY LEASES FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF HIS HIS IN DIAMONDS PRESIDENT I MEAN EVEN OBAMA HELD THEM QUARTERLY. THEY’RE REQUIRED BY LAW. WE HAD TO SUE THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA, HAD TO SUE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND WIN IN FEDERAL COURT FOR HIM TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE CLAIM THAT HE’S MAKING. AND AND THE AND WHAT WE’RE DOING TO AMERICAN ENERGY PRODUCERS IN TERMS OF RESTRICTING THEIR ABILITY, AMERICAN ENERGY. IF YOU CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, YOU WOULD WANT TO HAVE EVERY OUNCE OF ENERGY PRODUCED HERE, EVERY ELECTRON OF BASELOAD PRODUCED HERE BECAUSE WE PRODUCE IT CLEANER, SAFER AND BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE. BUT WE’VE HAD THE STATE DEPARTMENT GOING TO PLACES LIKE VENEZUELA, THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF GOING TO ADVERSARIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST, ASKING THEM TO PRODUCE MORE ENERGY, DRAINING THE STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE IN HALF AHEAD OF THE MIDTERMS TO TRY TO GET GAS DOWN AT THE PUMPS. GUESS IT’S STRATEGIC TO TRY TO WIN THE MIDTERMS BY GIVING UP WHAT WAS BASICALLY FOR AMERICAN CITIZENS. YOU KNOW, OUR SAFETY NET IN CASE WE END UP IN WORLD WAR THREE. SO IT IS IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE TO ME SOME OF THE DECISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE THAT ARE POLITICAL OR IDEOLOGICAL, THAT AREN’T THAT ACTUALLY GO AGAINST THE WHAT EVERY AMERICAN CITIZEN NEEDS ENERGY TO HEAT THEIR HOME, TO DRIVE THEIR CAR, TO RUN THE COMPANIES, THEIR SMALL BUSINESS OR LARGE BUSINESSES. AND AND AGAIN, YOU CAN’T SEPARATE ENERGY POLICIES, A GLOBAL MARKET. YOU CAN’T SEPARATE IT FROM NATIONAL SECURITY OR THE ECONOMY ON FOREIGN POLICY, THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF ATTENTION ON RUSSIA AND CHINA, AND RIGHTLY SO. BUT THINK IT’S TO THE DETRIMENT OF TALKING ABOUT A COUNTRY LIKE IRAN, WHICH STILL PRESENTS A SERIOUS THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES. THEY LOVE TO PLAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND DESTABILIZE OTHER COUNTRIES. HOW IS PRESIDENT WOULD YOU CONTAIN THEIR INFLUENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, BOTH UNDER PRESIDENT BIDEN NOW AND UNDER AND UNDER OBAMA, THIS IDEA THAT SOMEHOW WE’RE GOING TO NEGOTIATE WITH A TERRORIST STATE AND THEN THEY’RE GOING TO FOLLOW THE RULES AND SOMEHOW WE BASICALLY WE’VE BEEN WITH THE THE TIMMINUS AND THE I’LL CALL IT SORT OF THE, YOU KNOW, CHAMBERLAIN, PRE-WORLD WAR II. OH, WE’RE GOING WE’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE WITH IRAN. WE’RE BASICALLY GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE NUCLEAR WEAPONS. AND THEY’VE BASICALLY SAID IF THEY HAVE THEM, THEY’LL USE THEM AGAINST ISRAEL IN THE UNITED STATES. SO I DON’T KNOW WHY WE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO NEGOTIATE ESSENTIALLY WITH THE TERRORIST STATE. IT MAKES THAT MAKES NO SENSE TO ME. AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF ATTENTION ON RUSSIA AND CHINA APPROPRIATELY. I DON’T BELIEVE THAT PUTIN EVEN HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO INVADE UKRAINE UNLESS HE ALREADY HAD A STRANGLEHOLD. HE WAS PROVIDING ALMOST ALL THE ENERGY TO WESTERN EUROPE. OUR ALLIES, THE PEOPLE THAT THAT I’M SURE YOU KNOW, RELATIVES OF PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING THE SHOW WHO FOUGHT AND DIED IN WORLD WAR TWO, FOR US TO HAVE A FREE YOU KNOW, WESTERN EUROPE AND THEN WE ALLOW THEM TO HAVE ALL THEIR NATURAL GAS AND ALL THEIR ENERGY COMING MANUFACTURING IN GERMANY, YOU KNOW, OFF BY 25% BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE ENERGY. AND OF COURSE, THAT THAT AFFECTS THE PRICES FOR CONSUMERS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. SO AND THEN WE SAY, OH, WELL, THAT’S OKAY. WE DON’T CARE IF UKRAINE WINS. SOME REPUBLICANS HAVE SAID THAT A WIN FOR RUSSIA IN UKRAINE IS A WIN FOR CHINA. WE BELATEDLY PUT SANCTIONS ON ON RUSSIA, ON ENERGY. WELL, NOW THEY’RE SELLING INTO THE WORLD MARKET AT 20 TO 30% OFF. AND YOU KNOW WHO’S BUYING THE WORLD’S LARGEST IMPORTER OF OIL AND GAS? THAT WOULD BE CHINA. SO WE’RE ALLOWING THE CHINESE RIGHT NOW TO BE ABLE TO BUY OIL AND GAS AT CHEAPER THAN ANYBODY. THAT’S WATCHING THE SHOW. I’M SURE EVERYBODY WATCHING WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO BUY GAS OFF AT 20% OFF TOMORROW. I’M SURE YOU KNOW, FARMERS IN IOWA WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO PUT DIESEL IN THEIR TRACTORS AT 20% OFF, BUT NO, OUR OUR POLICIES THAT WE PUT ON RUSSIA ARE ACTUALLY AIDING OUR BIGGEST ADVERSARY, WHICH IS CHINA. CIRCLING BACK TO THE HOME FRONT HERE, MANY PARENTS OF LITTLE ONES ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND CHILD CARE, NOT JUST AFFORDABLE BUT ACCESS, PERIOD. IN PARTICULARLY IN RURAL AREAS. AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, IN YOUR STATE, IT’S JUST NOT THERE ANYMORE. DOES THE GOVERNMENT HAVE A ROLE IN PROVIDING THAT SERVICE? WELL, IN NORTH DAKOTA THIS LAST SESSION, WE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE BIGGEST THING HOLDING BACK OUR ECONOMY WAS ACTUALLY CHILD CARE. AND YOU TOUCHED ON IT, ADAM. IT’S GOT TO BE ACCESSIBLE. IT’S GOT TO BE AFFORDABLE AND IT’S GOT TO BE OF HIGH QUALITY. AND WE PUT TOGETHER WE SPENT 15 MONTHS GOING OUT TO RURAL AREAS. OUR LARGER METROS IN NORTH DAKOTA TALKING MOST OF THESE CHILD CARE CENTERS ARE WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES. WE TALKED TO THE OWNERS. WE TALKED TO THE PARENTS. WE TALKED TO THE PEOPLE THAT WERE THINKING ABOUT GOING INTO CAREERS IN THAT FIELD. WE PUT TOGETHER A COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGE ACROSS THOSE THREE LEGS. AFFORDABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY AND QUALITY. AND WE PASSED AN $85 MILLION PACKAGE IN OUR LITTLE STATE TO ADDRESS THOSE THREE THINGS, BECAUSE WE KNOW IN OUR STATE WE HAVE 35,000 JOBS OPEN IN OUR LITTLE STATE, AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST BIRTH RATES IN THE NATION. WE’RE NUMBER TWO BEHIND UTAH RIGHT NOW. WE’VE GOT 55,000 KIDS IN OUR STATE THAT WERE BELOW FIVE AND UNDER. THAT’S LIKE A THINK OF THAT WOULD BE AN ENTIRE CITY OF FIVE AND UNDER. AND THEN YOU CAN DECIDE WHETHER YOU WANT TO DRIVE TOWARDS IT OR AWAY FROM IT, DEPENDING IF YOU’RE A GRANDPARENT OR A PARENT. BUT IN THAT THAT CITY OF YOUNG PEOPLE THAT REPRESENTED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PARENTS THAT WEREN’T ABLE TO GO TO WORK AND OFTEN THE PARENT THAT HAD TO STAY AT HOME WITH A KID WAS THE MOTHER. AND WE INVESTED IN THAT MOTHER K12 THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION. WE INVESTED. THEY OFTEN WENT TO A NORTH DAKOTA COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY. FOUR MORE YEARS OF SUPPORT SO THEY CAN GET INTO THE WORKFORCE AND HAVE A CAREER, PURSUE WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY’VE GOT IT. THEY STAY AT HOME BECAUSE THEY CAN’T AFFORD CHILDCARE. SO IT’S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE. AND IF WE THINK EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT, WE THINK FAMILIES ARE IMPORTANT. THERE’S THINGS WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT AND SMALL BUSINESSES, WE CAN SUPPORT THEM. ALL RIGHT, GOVERNOR BURGUM, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME HERE. NOW FOR THE HARD PART, WITH THE TOWN HALL IN THE NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTERS. COMING UP AFTER THE BREAK, WE’LL BRING OUR STUDIO AUDIENCE INTO TH