Who will participate in Today’s GOP Debate?

As the first Republican presidential primary debate approaches on August 23, some candidates are still striving to meet the qualifying criteria set by the Republican National Committee (RNC). To participate in the debate, candidates must achieve at least 1% in multiple eligible polls, garner a minimum of 40,000 donors, and sign a pledge vowing support for the ultimate GOP nominee.

The RNC has yet to officially confirm which candidates have qualified for the debate stage. Here’s where the candidates currently stand:

Qualified, according to their campaigns:

1. Doug Burgum: North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum’s campaign announced his qualification after offering donors $20 gift cards for $1 donations. Burgum’s focus on the economy, energy, and national security is anticipated for the debate.

2. Ron DeSantis: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, trailing former President Donald Trump in most polls, meets both polling and donor requirements. His campaign underwent a reorganization recently, downsizing staff to remain financially viable.

3. Nikki Haley: Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, the only woman in the GOP field, has met the donor and polling thresholds. She signed the RNC loyalty pledge on August 9.

4. Tim Scott: South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, qualified for the debate and signed the RNC’s loyalty pledge. He’s focused on presenting an optimistic vision for the nation’s future.

5. Vivek Ramaswamy: Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, a political outsider, met both polling and donor requirements. His campaign highlights his outsider status and captured attention from a segment of the GOP electorate.

6. Asa Hutchinson: Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson’s campaign manager confirmed his qualification, meeting the threshold of 40,000 unique donors and polling requirements.

Unclear:

1. Francis Suarez: While the political action committee supporting Miami Mayor Francis Suarez claimed he met the debate thresholds, Suarez’s campaign has not made an official announcement.

Hasn’t signed pledge but campaign says they qualify:

1. Chris Christie: Chris Christie, who criticized the RNC’s loyalty pledge in the past, hasn’t yet signed the pledge but claims to have met the qualifications for the debate.

2. Mike Pence: Former Vice President Mike Pence reached the donor threshold but hasn’t announced signing the RNC pledge yet.

Says will be skipping:

1. Donald Trump: Despite meeting donor and debate metrics, Donald Trump announced his intention to skip the debate, citing “legendary” polling numbers. If he does participate, he faces ongoing legal challenges.

Who hasn’t qualified:

1. Will Hurd: Former Representative Will Hurd has not yet met the criteria for the GOP debate.

2. Larry Elder: Conservative talk radio show host Larry Elder has also not met the debate criteria.