Longshot GOP Candidate Doug Burgum Suspends Presidential Campaign

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum announced Monday that he is suspending his 2024 presidential campaign.

Burgum jumped in the growing GOP primary field in early June and has spent his campaign largely focused on the economy, energy and national security. The governor criticized the Republican National Committee’s (RNC’s) upped debate requirements, which left Burgum off the last debate stage, during his announcement, accusing them of “nationalizing the primary system,” according to a press release.

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Midwest Landowners Notch Big Win After Regulators Deny Permit for Green Pipeline Project

North Dakota state regulators denied a permit for the route of a carbon capture pipeline project Friday amid local pushback, according to AgWeek.

The pipeline is a project of the Iowa-based company Summit Carbon Solutions, which told the Daily Caller News Foundation that it will resubmit the relevant paperwork and try to get the required permit again. The denial is a setback for the Biden administration’s green energy agenda, which relies in part on carbon capture and sequestration technology to bring down emissions in line with its goal of the U.S. reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, according to a White House fact sheet.

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Commentary: Tax Relief Is Coming to Millions of Red-State Residents in Ohio, Connecticut, and More

July marked the beginning of Fiscal Year 2024 for 46 of the 50 states. It also closes the books on most state legislative sessions in what was an incredible 2023 for hard-working taxpayers.

In recent years, we’ve seen significant income tax relief in the states. Notably, 10 states – Kentucky, West Virginia, Montana, Utah, Arkansas, North Dakota, Indiana, Nebraska, Connecticut, and Ohio – have cut personal income taxes (PIT) in 2023. With the new addition of West Virginia, North Dakota, and Connecticut, 22 states have cut personal income taxes since 2021, with several of these states cutting taxes multiple times during that period.

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18 States, DC Accept Ballots after Election Day, with North Dakota’s Deadline Facing Lawsuit

North Dakota is facing a lawsuit over its acceptance of mail-in ballots 13 days after Election Day and is among 18 states and Washington, D.C., that accept and tabulate ballots post-election.

The lawsuit, which was filed Wednesday against North Dakota State Election Director Erika White, alleges that the state’s law to accept ballots up to 13 days after Election Day violates federal law.

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Nearly Half of U.S. States Now Have Measures Limiting Transgender Surgery for Minors, but Lawsuits Abound

At least 20 states have either restricted or banned transgender procedures for minors, with many of them facing lawsuits and temporary blocks by courts as a result, while future litigation is possible in states considering adopting such laws. 

The states that have enacted legislation against such procedures are: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia – essentially all conservative-leaning.

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North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum Launches Bid for White House, Joining Crowded Field of GOP Contenders

At a Fargo events center packed with family, friends and neighbors, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum stressed his small-town roots, his success in building a multi-billion dollar software business on the Great Plains, governing a growing state, and his vision for an innovative America in announcing his bid for the White House.

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States See Chinese Purchase of Farmland as a Threat to National Security

Several states have already banned or are considering banning foreign ownership of farmland from U.S. adversaries such as China, a trend that has its recent roots in North Dakota.

Chinese food manufacturer Fufeng Group purchased 370 acres of land for a corn milling plant in Grand Forks in November 2021.

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North Dakota’s Republican Governor Weighing Presidential Bid in 2024

Republican North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is weighing a presidential bid in 2024, two sources familiar with the governor’s plans told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Burgum, who is the 33rd governor of North Dakota, will decide whether he’ll run for the GOP nomination within the next few weeks, the sources confirmed with the DCNF. The two-term governor is currently filming television advertisements in preparation for a presidential launch.

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North Dakota Man Who Ran over Teen That He Thought Was a ‘Rightwing Extremist’ Faces Only 10 Years in Prison After Murder Charge Dropped

The North Dakota man who admitted to mowing down a teenager with his SUV last September because he thought the boy was a “rightwing extremist” is facing a maximum of only ten years in prison after the prosecutor dropped the charge from murder to manslaughter.

Shannon Brandt, 42,  pleaded guilty to the manslaughter charge, avoiding a trial which was set to start on May 30, KVRR reported.

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17 State Attorneys General Declare Support for Florida Trans Guidance

by Eric Lendrum   On April 7th, an amicus brief was filed in favor of Florida’s current ban on using state funds to support “transgender” treatments, with 17 state attorneys general voicing their support for the law. According to the Daily Caller, the brief’s filing was part of an ongoing legal…

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North Dakota Legislature Passes Bill That Makes Teachers Use Students’ Biological Pronouns

The North Dakota House approved a bill on Wednesday that would require teachers to refer to students using pronouns that correspond with their biological sex.

In a 60-32 vote, the state house passed Senate Bill 2231, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Larry Luick and state Sen. Scott Meyer, which mandates that public school teachers must use a students’ biological sex pronouns unless parents give permission for them to do otherwise. The bill cleared the state senate in February and now heads to Republican North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum’s desk.

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Chinese Nationals Have Bought Thousands of Acres of Strategically Located U.S. Farmland

Ownership of U.S. farmland by Chinese nationals has risen significantly in the last decade and amounted to 338,000 acres as of 2020, according to U.S. Agriculture Department data.

Since 2010, Chinese nationals have reportedly purchased an additional 75,000 acres of U.S. farmland, according to U.S. Agriculture Department data obtained by the WSJ. Although amounting to less than 1% of all U.S. agricultural land held by foreign citizens, ownership of U.S. farmland by Chinese nationals has received increased scrutiny in recent years following warnings from U.S. government officials claiming that the Chinese government may seek to use land for military and espionage purposes, according to the WSJ.

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North Carolina, North Dakota, Among States Phasing Out Income Tax

Americans in search of economic freedom and opportunity are flocking to Florida, Tennessee and Texas, and at least part of the attraction is that these three states, along with six others (Alaska, Nevada, South Dakota, Washington, Wyoming and New Hampshire), don’t levy an income tax.

Other states may soon follow.

“There are 10 states that are in the process of moving their personal income tax to zero,” President of Americans for Tax Reform Grover Norquist said on the John Solomon Reports podcast.

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Tennessee, Georgia, and Virginia Among 18 States Banning Social Media App TikTok from State Devices

Following South Dakota GOP Gov. Kristi Noem’s lead, nearly half of U.S. states have put restrictions on or banned the use of Chinese-based social media app TikTok.

At least 19 states have banned TikTok on government-issued devices – Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Idaho, Iowa, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utha, Virginia and West Virginia.

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Minnesota Set to Receive Part of a Nearly $400 Million Settlement from Google over Location-Tracking Probe

Google agreed to a $391.5 million settlement with 40 states after an investigation found that the tech giant participated in questionable location-tracking practices, state attorneys general announced Monday.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong called it a “historic win for consumers.”

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Man Who Ran Over and Killed Conservative Teen Charged with Murder

A North Dakota man arrested for running over a teenager he purportedly believed to be a Republican extremist was charged with murder Friday.

Shannon Brandt admitted to hitting Cayler Ellingson with his vehicle Sept. 18 and left the scene before returning, calling 911 and leaving again, according to a police affidavit. Brandt was subsequently charged with felony criminal vehicular homicide involving a motor vehicle and duty in accident involving death, but Foster County State’s Attorney Kara Brinster replaced the first charge with the more severe felony charge of murder.

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No House Arrest or Curfew for North Dakota Man Who Allegedly Ran Over Republican Teenager After Political Argument

The North Dakota man who admitted to running over 18-year-old Cayler Ellingson with an SUV after a political argument earlier this month, is not under house arrest and has no curfew, Fox News reported.

Shannon Brandt, 41, was released from jail after posting a $50,000 bond on Sept. 20 after he fatally hit Ellington with his vehicle following a street dance at a local bar in McHenry, North Dakota.

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North Dakota School Board Drops Pledge of Allegiance

On Tuesday, a school board in North Dakota voted overwhelmingly to abandon the sacred tradition of reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, claiming that the Pledge doesn’t align with the district’s values.

As reported by the New York Post, the Fargo School Board voted 7-2 to cancel the Pledge at all of its future bi-weekly board meetings. Those who voted in favor of the ban claimed that the Pledge of Allegiance wasn’t inclusive enough, primarily due to the use of the phrase “under God.”

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Regional Foundation Awarded $9.2M in COVID Relief Funds from ARPA Competition

The Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber Foundation is one of 32 organization splitting $500 million in the Good Jobs Challenge.

The Ignite Initiative Regional Workforce Training System is receiving $9.6 million. It focuses on training underserved communities in the border region of North Dakota and Minnesota that include people of color, veterans, immigrants and formerly incarcerated individuals, according to a release from the foundation. The training is for positions in the agriculture, manufacturing and technology industries.

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University of North Dakota Scraps ‘Gender Inclusion’ Policy Proposal After Catholic Organization Warns Parents

Earlier this week, Campus Reform reported on the North Dakota Catholic Conference’s  (NDCC) concerns surrounding the University of North Dakota’s (UND) ‘Gender Inclusion’ policy proposal.

Today, UND President Andrew Armacost reportedly announced it would “cease its work” on the policy and “will not implement it,” according to a statement provided to Campus Reform by NDCC’s Executive Director Christopher Dodson.

“The recent public discussion about a draft gender inclusion policy at the University of North Dakota highlighted concerns both about freedom of speech and religious exercise and expression and about protections for transgender students, faculty, and staff members,” Armacost’s statement reads.

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Biden Gears Up for Renewed Fight Against Oil and Gas

A federal judge has ruled the Biden administration must resume allowing oil and gas leasing on federal land and waters, but the administration is saying it will not go down without a fight.

The Biden administration said it will appeal a court ruling allowing the leases, the latest development in a months-long battle between President Joe Biden and the oil and gas industry, even as gas prices continue to rise.

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21 States Sue Biden Admin for Revoking Keystone XL Permit

A group of red states sued President Biden and members of his administration on Wednesday over his decision to revoke a key permit for the Keystone XL oil pipeline, The Hill reported.

The lawsuit is led by Montana and Texas, and backed by 19 other states, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

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Fargo Leaders Ask for Peace as Walz Sends National Guard to Clay County

Black leaders in North Dakota’s largest city pleaded for calm Thursday in the face of violent threats to disrupt a gathering in memory of George Floyd and advertised the event as a celebration, not a protest.

The OneFargo event is scheduled Friday afternoon at a downtown Fargo park. Organizers had planned to march from Island Park to City Hall for a sit-in, but have scrapped that idea after social media threats surfaced to burn down the city offices and commit other violent acts.

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Biden Defeats Sanders in Michigan Primary, President Trump Sees Massive Turnout

Former Vice President Joe Biden won Michigan’s Democratic presidential primary Tuesday night, delivering a fatal blow to the campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

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Fisher Industries Awarded $268 Million Contract to Build 31 Miles of Southern Border Wall

There has been a lot of political furor, of late, over North Dakota-based Fisher Industries receiving a very large federal contract to build a portion of the controversial border wall between the United States and Mexico.

The company is set to be paid $268 million to build 31 miles of border wall in the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. The contract has another $132 million in options that could be exercised.

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Heitkamp Now Trails Cramer By 16 Points After Numerous Campaign ‘Missteps’

A new poll shows that Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) now has a staggering 16-point lead over incumbent Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) in North Dakota’s Senate race. According to a recent poll conducted by KVLY, KFYR, and Strategic Research Associates, Cramer leads Heitkamp 56 percent to 40 percent among likely voters. Of those voters, just 37…

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Georgia Lawsuit Latest Blow in US Fight Over Voting Rights

U.S. voting rights advocacy groups Thursday sued Georgia’s top election official, Secretary of State Brian Kemp, accusing him of putting more than 50,000 voter registration applications on hold to boost his gubernatorial campaign. Kemp is the Republican nominee for governor in one of this year’s highest-profile state races, in which…

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SCOTUS Clears the Way For Voter ID Requirement In Key Senate Race

by Kevin Daley   The U.S. Supreme Court will allow a North Dakota law requiring voters to produce government ID with a current residential street address when casting ballots to take effect. The decision, which came Tuesday and drew a brief dissent, will effect one November’s most critical Senate races. A group…

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