Burgum’s announcement came after he did not meet the requirements to qualify for the third GOP debate last month and seemed unlikely to meet them for the debate scheduled for Wednesday.

“The RNC’s clubhouse debate requirements are nationalizing the primary process and taking the power of democracy away from the engaged, thoughtful citizens of Iowa and New Hampshire,” Burgum said in the statement. “The RNC’s mission is to win elections. It is not their mission to reduce competition and restrict fresh ideas by ‘narrowing the field’ months before the Iowa caucuses or the first in the nation New Hampshire primary.”

[The RNC’s job is to make debates workable and relevant. It’s the candidates who have the responsibility to make themselves relevant. Burgum couldn’t do that, although I think he performed above expectations during his short campaign. — Ed]