Rich, loyal and good looking: Why little-known Doug Burgum is in Trump’s VP mix
WASHINGTON—As court adjourned for lunch Tuesday in Donald Trump’s hush-money trial, the former president’s lawyers, family and friends poured into the court’s holding room for some of New York City’s finest pizza. North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, among them, popped in and out to defend Trump in front of news cameras.
Last weekend, Burgum was a warm-up act at Trump’s rally in New Jersey—far from his home state on the Plains. And earlier this month, Burgum and his wife, Kathryn, mingled with party officials and megadonors at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and again Tuesday at a hotel overlooking New York’s Central Park. Burgum’s recent proximity to Trump, as a companion on the campaign trail and a surrogate on television and at swanky dinners, has boosted his profile as one of the top candidates for Trump’s running mate.
Trump’s embrace of Burgum reveals what is really important to the VP search, according to people close to the former president: whether Trump likes the person, regardless of what they bring to the ticket. Trump likes that Burgum is rich, loyal and good looking, according to people close with the presumptive GOP nominee. “He’s a rich guy with rich friends," said one Republican close to both the Trump campaign and Burgum’s office.
“That goes a long way with Trump. It also goes a long way with a campaign that’s shorter on cash than the other team," referring to President Biden’s fundraising prowess. Trump has Burgum, 67 years old, on an elastic list of contenders.
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