NORTH DAKOTA (KXNET) — Throughout the four-part one-on-one with Governor Doug Burgum series, Adrienne Ogelsby has reported his cash card approach and other funding tactics, how the campaign trail is going, and worldwide controversies.

Now, the focus is entirely on North Dakota, stateside, what is Burgum’s focus at the moment? 

“Well, there’s a lot of things that we’re focusing on across the state. But coming out of a very successful legislative session this last spring, the investments that we’re making across education, across infrastructure, across healthcare, there’s so much to do working on implementing all this. But we’re in such a fortunate position that we’re able to do all that and still have the record tax, tech tax reductions in our state, the largest tax reduction bill in the history of the state between property taxes and income taxes,” said Burgum. 

Burgum says he wants to look at the brighter things that are going right in the state as opposed to what’s wrong.

“When we’ve got we’re heading towards having the highest GDP, of any state in the nation, we’re one of the few states, we’re one of the only states that was getting younger. Birth rate is up, or number of kids under age five is growing in our state, the legislature passed a historic package relative to supporting the childcare infrastructure because childcare infrastructure is key to workforce. And the biggest challenge we do have in the state is workforce, that you know, making sure that we get all the jobs filled, but that takes everybody coming together,” said Burgum. 

He says workforce issues were the biggest issue to tackle in this past legislative session, and now, actions are being rolled out to improve the issue.

But how is he maintaining his roles as governor and a presidential candidate campaigning throughout the nation?

“And of course, juggling both of these things requires teamwork, coordination, and working seven days a week and long hours every day. But I tell you one of the honors that Catherine and I have when we’re going around the nation, is telling the Great North Dakota story to the rest of the nation. Because when you’re campaigning for president, you’re campaigning on the record of your state, when you’re a governor and I would put North Dakota’s record up with any state in the nation in terms of what we’ve got accomplished and what we’re doing here in the great people in North Dakota. North Dakota is working and working well. And we’re really, really honored to be able to tell that story,” he said. 

And speaking of the North Dakota story. Burgum, of course, is not getting full support from the North Dakota GOP.

As previously reported, they are remaining neutral at this time.

But is he getting support from U.S. Senators, Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven, or Congressman Kelly Armstrong? 

“Senator Hoeven, Senator Kramer, and Congressman Armstrong have all been providing incredible support. We’re grateful for their endorsement. We’re grateful for them, hosting receptions both here in the state and in Washington, DC in support of our campaign. And, again, we’re very fortunate in North Dakota to have such a strong congressional delegation that gets up and works hard for all the things that matter: North Dakota energy, agriculture, defense, innovation infrastructure. We’re very, very lucky to have such a smart, capable, hard-working, and well-positioned congressional delegation,” said Burgum. 

Support does not end there.

According to his Federal Election Commission filings, Burgum has raised over $11.7 million campaigning, most of the funds out of his own pocket.

With contributions from Attorney Drew Wrigley, and others.

Although the four-part one-on-one with Doug Burgum ends now. Adrienne will have a special weekend feature as Burgum addresses the ongoing teacher shortage on Saturday, August 26 on KX News at 6 and 10.