Burgum injured playing basketball, may have to skip Republican debate

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum was injured playing basketball and may not be able to attend the first Republican presidential debate Wednesday night.

A source from Burgum’s campaign confirmed to NBC News that Burgum, 67, suffered a leg injury during a game of pick-up basketball with his staff on Tuesday.

He was transported to a Milwaukee emergency room and discharged from the hospital the same day, the source told NBC, confirming earlier reporting from CNN.

It is “unclear if he will be able to stand” at the two-hour debate, which is set to air on Fox News starting at 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday night, the source said.

Burgum is one of eight candidates to meet the Republican National Committee’s qualifications for the first debate. The others are Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, former United Nations Amb. Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

“Wishing Doug Burgum well. Looking forward to seeing him on stage tonight,” Ramaswamy tweeted Wednesday morning.

For the participants, the debate offers a rare chance to shake up a primary race that has so far been defined by former President Donald Trump’s dominance over the field.

But with Trump opting to skip the debate, his rivals won’t be able to take a direct shot at their biggest obstacle to the GOP nomination, potentially limiting the impact of the event. The absence of the attention-grabbing former president could also result in lower viewership.

Trump, who has accused Fox News of covering him unfairly, is actively working to undermine the debate by taping an interview with estranged Fox host Tucker Carlson that is set to air at the same time.

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