North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, a Republican presidential candidate prior to dropping out of the race Monday, spoke on energy, national security and innovative ways to move the country forward while speaking with students at Franklin Pierce University’s “Pizza and Politics” series Friday.

The on-campus conversations, organized by the Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication’s PoliticsFITZU, feature interviews of presidential candidates by students. Burgum was the first of three scheduled candidates, with Democratic U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips scheduled for Dec. 4 and Republican former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie scheduled for Dec. 7.

Burgum, who made his name as a technology entrepreneur with his company, Great Plains Software, before becoming governor, said he’s a believer in limited government, and that many issues should be left to the discretion of individual states. He said there are some arenas that need national leadership, among them the economy, energy and national security.

When asked about his stance on increasing the release of domestically produced fossil fuels when faced with growing concerns around climate change, particularly among younger demographics, Burgum said the real issue was not fossil fuels, but the damages caused by carbon dioxide.

“If CO2 is the issue, through technology, address CO2,” Burgum said. Those innovations are already happening, he said, with waste energy being used to power other industries, including agriculture, being stored underground and being transformed into building materials.

When asked about his stance on abolishing the United States Department of Education, Burgum said the federal entity was filled with bureaucratic red tape, and acted as a pass-through for government funds to the states that came with “ideological handcuffs.” He said those funds could be disseminated to the individual states as block grants.

“I’m pro-education, but I’m also pro-get rid of red tape in education,” Burgum said.

On national security, Burgum said the first step is securing the United States-Mexico border. He stressed the damage drug trafficking, particularly of fentanyl, was doing to the country and the influx of illegal immigration. He acknowledged the importance of immigrants to the United States, but said the country should be able to focus on creating a pathway to citizenship for those here legally on visas, such as students attending school.

Addiction and mental health came up several times during Burgum’s interview. His wife, Kathryn Burgum, is a recovering alcoholic who has made advocacy for addiction and mental health part of her platform as the first lady of North Dakota. He said there is a glut of people in the criminal justice system who have addiction or mental health issues, as they are being funneled into prisons rather than a functioning mental health system.

On the subject of health care, Burgum said the industry has become too overburdened by government oversight, saying that costs have gone up and services are worse for those seeking health care. He said the country needs more transparency around pricing, and a more market-based system that allows for competition.

The session with Phillips was Dec. 4 at noon, and Christie’s session Dec. 7 is at 12:15 p.m., both at the Franklin Pierce University DiPietro Library. The public is invited to attend these events.

Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ledgertrancsript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.