Jill Schramm/MDN Gov. Doug and Kathryn Burgum visit Minot Thursday for Recovery Reinvented at Minot State University. 

Gov. Doug Burgum is counting on strong showings in presidential nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire in January to create the attention needed to give his campaign momentum.

Burgum, who planned to be campaigning in Iowa this weekend, said in Minot Thursday that he believes there is room to build support for his campaign in the two states because only half the residents there are familiar with him, yet he is polling stronger than better known candidates. 

By showing up and getting on the ground with events in those states, Burgum said, he can double his support in the polls. Other, larger states would lie ahead, but he noted, “If you’ve got momentum coming out of Iowa, New Hampshire, then that creates enormous opportunities to break through on the national stage. All of these races pivot on those first two states.”

Burgum participated in the first two Republican presidential debates and expects to qualify for the next debate on Nov. 8, which requires receiving 4% or better in two national polls or in one national poll and two states with early nominating contests.

“We had to pass a polling threshold in Iowa, New Hampshire. We’ve already done that. We will very quickly pass the donor threshold, and we have one (poll) left, which is the national one, and we’re confident we’re going to clear that as well,” he said.

Burgum said it is necessary to participate in the debates to get his message in front of the public, but the events are largely for show.

 “These aren’t serious debates, talking about the qualifications of the candidates and what their vision is for America. This is political theater,” he said. “But we’re going to keep talking about economy, energy and national security at every stop. And we know that North Dakota has got a lot to share with the nation about how we run our economy, how we drive energy policy and our role in national security and what that means for the stability of the world.”

Six months ago, when he first entered the race, candidates weren’t talking about the economy, energy policy or national security, he said. Now, they are, he added.

“So we know that our being in this race is already driving us towards the issues that America needs to face up to and the actual issues that the President of the United States is tasked with focusing on,” he said.

Burgum voiced little concern about national polls, which he called meaningless at this point because the average voter is not paying attention to the presidential race this early.

“The place to focus on is what’s going on in Iowa, New Hampshire, because in here, the voters are paying attention,” he said. “A lot of the people I’m competing with are going down; we’re going up and we’re ahead of some people who’ve got 100% name recognition.”

His goal is to achieve what conventional wisdom says is the necessary threshold by finishing in the top four in Iowa and a little higher in New Hampshire.

“We know that’s completely possible for us. We’re really in the top five right now, and you’re saying, ‘Can we get to the top four in three months?’ You bet we can,” he said. “We’ve got a shot of coming in second in New Hampshire, and don’t you let anybody tell you that we don’t. That’s a definite possibility.”