But that also means that nearly half of the sprawling Republican field is running out of time.
To qualify for the August 23 debate, hopefuls had to meet polling and donor requirements set by the Republican National Committee: have at least 1% support in three major national polls or a combination of anticipated national and state polls, between July 1 and August 21, as well as a minimum of 40,000 donors, in 20 or more states.
Here’s a look at who’s in, who’s (maybe) out, and who’s still looking to make it: The qualifiers so far.
donald trump
The current favorite Republican candidate is former President Trump, who long ago met polling and donor thresholds. But he might be considering skipping the debate and holding an event on his own.
His campaign advisers have said the former president has yet to make a final decision on the debate. One of them noted that “it’s pretty clear,” based on Trump’s public and private statements, that he is unlikely to appear with the other candidates.
“If you’re in front for a long time, what’s the point of doing it?” Trump asked on Newsmax.
Meanwhile, advisers have discussed possible alternate scheduling if Trump opts for a rival event. One option Trump has raised is an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who now hosts a show on X, the social network formerly known as Twitter.
Ron DeSantis
Ron DeSantis
@RonDeSantis
The Florida governor has long been considered Trump’s main rival, finishing a distant second in a series of polls in early voting states as well as national polls, and raising an impressive amount of money.
But in recent weeks, DeSantis’s campaign has struggled to live up to the expectations that awaited him when he entered the race. He fired more than a third of his staff when federal reports showed his campaign was spending cash at an unsustainable rate.
If Trump is absent, DeSantis could be the primary target on the debate stage.
Tim Scott
Republican Senator Tim Scott – afp
AFP
The South Carolina senator has been looking for a breakout moment, and the first debate could be his chance.
Scott, a prolific fundraiser, comes into the summer with $21 million in cash on hand.
In an approved debate poll in Iowa, Scott joined Trump and DeSantis in reaching double digits. The senator has focused much of his campaign resources on the Republican Party’s early voting state, which is dominated by a white evangelical constituency.
nikki haley
haley
AP/File
The candidate has focused on campaign events in early voting states, leading crowds through her electoral successes, ousting a perennial incumbent from South Carolina to later becoming the first woman and first person to come from of a minority to govern the state.
Haley, who also served as Trump’s ambassador to the UN for about two years, frequently highlights her international experience and the threat China poses to the United States.
Haley, the only woman in the Republican race, has called transgender students competing in sports “a problem for women today” and has been praised by a leading anti-abortion group as “uniquely gifted to communicate from a pro-life perspective of women.”
Raising $15.6 million since the start of her campaign, Haley’s team maintains that she has “more than 40,000 unique donors” and has met the polling requirement for the debate.
Vivek Ramaswamy
Vivek Ramaswamy
PA
The biotech entrepreneur and author of the book “Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam” is an audience favorite at multi-candidate events and did well in the polls despite not being nationally known when he entered the fray.
Ramaswamy’s campaign says he reached the donor threshold earlier this year. He recently launched his “Vivek’s Kitchen Cabinet” fundraising program to further boost the number of donors by allowing fundraisers to keep 10% of what they contribute to his campaign.
chris christie
Chris Christie/AP
PA
The former New Jersey governor kicked off his campaign by presenting himself as the only candidate ready to take on Trump. Christie urged the former president to “show up in the debates and defend his record” against him.
Christie will be on that stage even if Trump doesn’t show up, telling CNN this month that he surpassed “40,000 unique donors in just 35 days.” She has also met the requirements of the survey.
Doug Burgum
Doug Burgum
Doug Burgum/Twitter
Burgum, a wealthy former software entrepreneur now in his second term as North Dakota governor, is using his fortune to boost his campaign.
He announced a program this month to hand out $20 gift cards, “Biden Aid Cards,” as a criticism of President Joe Biden’s handling of the economy, to about 50,000 people in exchange for $1 donations. Critics have questioned whether the offer violated campaign finance law.
About a week after launching that program, Burgum announced that he had passed the donor threshold. Ad campaigns in early voting states also helped him meet polling requirements.
THOSE WHO HAVE NOT QUALIFIED
Mike Pence
Mike Pence.jpg
AP/File
Trump’s vice president has passed the polling threshold but has yet to amass a sufficient number of donors, raising the possibility that he won’t qualify for the party’s first debate.
Pence and his advisers have expressed confidence that he will, noting that most other Republican hopefuls took a month or two as active candidates to reach the goal. Pence entered the race on June 7, the same day as Burgum and one day after Christie.
“We are making incredible progress toward that goal. We’re not there yet,” Pence revealed to CNN in a recent interview. “We will do it. I’ll see you on that debate stage.”
Asa Hutchinson
Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson / AP
AP/Sue Ogrocki
According to his campaign, the two-term former governor of Arkansas met the polling requirements but has struggled to meet the donor limit. As of Wednesday, Hutchinson had more than 11,000 unique donors.
Hutchinson fits the mold of an old-school Republican and has set himself apart from many of his Republican rivals in his willingness to criticize Trump. He has posted petitions on platform X—formerly Twitter—for dollar donations to help secure his spot.
Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suárez.jpg
AP/Michael Owen Baker
The mayor of Miami has been one of the most creative candidates to increase the number of donors. He offered the chance to see Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi’s debut as a player for Inter Miami and said those who donate a dollar would have the chance to get front-row tickets.
Still below the donor threshold, he copied Burgum’s strategy by offering a $20 “Bidenomics Aid Card” in exchange for $1 donations. A super political action committee supporting Suarez launched a drawing for a chance to receive up to $15,000 in school fees in exchange for a $1 donation to Suarez’s campaign.
Suarez’s campaign did not return a message seeking details about his number of donors or poll numbers.
Larry Elder
The conservative radio host wrote in an op-ed that the Republican National Committee “has rigged the competition rules by instituting a set of criteria that are so onerous and poorly designed that only billionaire and party establishment-backed candidates count.” with the possibility of being on stage”.
His campaign team refused to detail the number of donors last week, saying only that there had been “a sharp increase in recent weeks.” He has not met the survey requirements.
Perry Johnson
Johnson, a wealthy but virtually unknown businessman from Michigan, said in a recent social media post that he had reached 23,000 donors and was “sure” he would make it to the debate stage. He added that all donors were “eligible to attend my free concert in Iowa” with country duo Big & Rich next month.
Johnson, who ranked 1% in a qualifying poll, also offered to give away free copies of his book “Two Cents to Save America” to anyone who donates to his campaign.
will hurd
The former Texas congressman — the last candidate to enter the race, on June 22 — has repeatedly said that he will not commit to supporting the eventual Republican nominee, a stance that will keep him out of the picture even if he reaches the number of donors. required and the numbers needed in the surveys.
FOUNTAIN: With information from AP
