Doug Burgum sent to ER after playing basketball ahead of GOP debate

WASHINGTON — He’s a debate-time decision.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum was rushed to the emergency room just hours before he was set to participate in the inaugural 2024 Republican presidential debate Wednesday night in Milwaukee.

The 67-year-old suffered undisclosed injuries during a pickup basketball game with members of his staff, according to the campaign.

Burgum was released from the hospital Wednesday morning and intends to take part in the debate — though it remained unclear Wednesday morning whether he would be able to do so standing up.

Burgum will be the second-oldest of the eight candidates participating in the debate, behind only 72-year-old former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

Former President Donald Trump, 77, decided to snub the debate, citing his strong lead in the polls.

“Wishing Doug Burgum well. Looking forward to seeing him on stage tonight,” fellow GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy posted to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Burgum’s sports injury comes after several Republican presidential candidates have been posting videos online of them engaging in physical challenges in what appear to be attempts to show off their vitality despite their advanced age.

For example, Hutchinson on Sunday posted a video of himself being launched high in the air on a “slingshot” ride at the Iowa State Fair.

“I made you a promise. I said that if you all helped me reach the debate stage, I would ride the Slingshot at the #IowaStateFair. A deal is a deal and I keep my promises,” he wrote on X.

Even the youngest candidate to join the debate, 38-year-old Ramaswamy, is taking part in the trend.

He posted videos of himself fiercely swatting at tennis balls while shirtless and challenging his wife to a burpee contest at the couple’s home gym.