How Trump’s Possible Vice Presidential Pick Has Changed on LGBTQ+ Issues as His Presidential Bid Approaches

BISMARCK, ND (AP) – North Dakota Republican Governor Doug Burgum is little known on the national scene, but it is now the best choice to be Former president Donald Trump’ running mate for vice president.

The wealthy software entrepreneur led North Dakota as a CEO. He championed business-oriented items such as income tax cuts and technology updates for state government, from cybersecurity to state websites. He has not been outspoken about social issues, even as the Republican-led state Legislature sent him a barrage of anti-LGBTQ+ bills last year. But after vetoing some of the bills in 2021 and 2023, he later signed most of them — around the same time he was preparing a presidential bid for 2024, which failed within months.

Here are some conclusions about Burgum and his actions:

From small-town roots, Burgum became a wealthy executive

Burgum, 67, grew up in a small North Dakota town. After college, he led Great Plains Software, which was acquired by Microsoft in 2001 for $1.1 billion. Burgum remained a vice president at Microsoft until 2007. He went on to lead other real estate development and venture capital companies.

Burgum was widely known as a software executive and entrepreneur before his frustrating campaign for governor in 2016, when he defeated the state’s longtime attorney general in the Republican Party primary. He ran to “reinvent” government as the state struggled with a $1 billion revenue deficit.

As governor, his focus was on economic rather than social issues

Burgum campaigned in 2016 as a business leader and governed with the same approach. He talked about “treating taxpayers like customers.” He brought some Microsoft veterans and others from the private sector into state government.

He is pushed income tax cuts, cybersecurity improvements, state website updates, cuts to state regulations, and changes to higher education governance and livestock laws. The planned Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is one of his greatest efforts.

Burgum can talk at length about carbon capture, energy policy and other topics of interest. He frequently boasts of North Dakota’s underground “geologic jackpot” for carbon dioxide storage and touts an “innovation over regulation” approach.

People who worked with him in the governor’s office say he is extremely curious and works long hours.

Burgum’s stances on LGBTQ+ issues have changed

Democratic and Republican lawmakers who have worked with Burgum say it was disappointing to see him sign a bunch of anti-LGBTQ+ bills in 2023, and that he could have been eyeing the national stage by doing so. Burgum launched a tender for president in June 2023, about a month after the legislative session ends.

In 2021, Burgum vetoed a bill ban transgender girls from playing girls’ sports in public schools. In early 2023, he vetoed a bill he said he would turn teachers into “pronoun police.”

But later in the 2023 session, as he prepared to run for president, he signed a series of bills restrict transgender people, including a ban on gender-affirming medical treatments for children It is two sports bans similar to the bill he vetoed in 2021.

He too signed a book ban bill but vetoed a more far-reaching one. Opponents said the bills went after LGBTQ+ literature.

Burgum also signed a bill that revised North Dakota’s abortion laws After the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The ban on abortion in the state It is one of the strictest in the USA. Burgum has not been outspoken about LGBTQ+ issues or abortion.

Burgum ended his presidential campaign in December 2023, without being able to gain traction. The following month he said that would not seek a third term as governor.