Which Republican Candidates Qualified for Fourth GOP Debate?
TimeJUL 2023
Burgum Suspends Campaign for GOP Presidential Nomination
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The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
Burgum finally made the wise decision, and the rest of Trump’s challengers should do the same. No one in the primary field has even bothered to criticize the former president, who seemingly solidifies his support the more legal trouble he gets into. It’s best for the GOP to rally around one candidate – the runaway frontrunner Donald Trump.
Anti-Trump narrative
Preventing another Trump White House term should be foremost in the thoughts of both Republicans and Democrats. Along those lines, the best way to do that — even suggested by several people in Republican and conservative circles — is to narrow the field and rally around one challenger to Trump. In this pursuit, Burgum has done the party and the nation a favor.
Cynical narrative
With Burgum’s announcement came a collective response from all parts of the US: “Who?” Burgum’s campaign served no purpose, as he gained no name recognition and made no impact. All he proved is that with enough personal wealth, anyone can become a candidate for president without ever getting anywhere the nomination, never mind the White House.