GOP presidential candidates will flock to the stage for the first Republican National Committee debate of the 2024 election cycle, a chance for presidential hopefuls to pitch themselves and their policies.
Seven candidates have met the RNC’s criteria and can appear on the debate stage. One candidate, former President Donald Trump, has remained noncommittal on whether he will debate his primary opponents. As the GOP front-runner, his absence could allow rising candidates like Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), and Vivek Ramaswamy the chance to move up in the polls and become viable alternatives to Trump.
RNC ANNOUNCES CRITERIA FOR SECOND DEBATE DESPITE UNCERTAIN TRUMP PARTICIPATION
Here’s everything to know about the RNC debate, which will occur in less than three weeks.
When and where is the debate?
The RNC debate will take place on Aug. 23 at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. CDT.
The debate will air on Fox News, with longtime anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum as moderators.
What is the significance of the debate?
Right now, the top-performing candidates in the GOP primary polls are the most vocal: Trump, DeSantis, and Ramaswamy. The first two are engaged in a series of legal or social battles, whether its at the state or federal level.
The debate will give non-Trump candidates such as Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND) and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie a chance to present their platforms which are largely being overshadowed by primary leaders. A debate can be effective for all candidates, especially for media campaigns and for attracting donors.
History has shown that debates can prove effective in terms of voter approval. In 2020, now-Vice President Kamala Harris received a bump in the polls after confronting now-President Joe Biden onstage at the first Democratic national debate. In 2016, Trump emerged as a viable candidate in the first GOP debate, beginning the race rather under the radar.
While the RNC debate is a highly anticipated event, the network could face lower ratings if Trump does not appear onstage, which could in turn negatively affect the candidates who do show up.
What are the criteria for the RNC debate?
To participate, GOP presidential candidates must receive 1% in three different national polls, or 1% in two national polls and 1% in two polls from different early primary or caucus states — such as Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada.
Candidates are also required to have 40,000 unique donors, including 200 unique donors in 20 states or territories.
The last requirement is that all participants must sign a pledge to support the eventual nominee. Only after meeting the polling and donor requirements will candidates receive the commitment pledge to sign.
They have until 48 hours before the debate to complete the criteria, so some candidates may make up their minds on the pledge just days before.
Who has and has not qualified for the RNC debate?
Trump, DeSantis, Ramaswamy, Christie, Burgum, Scott, and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley have qualified for the debate.
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former Vice President Mike Pence, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, and former Rep. Will Hurd have not qualified for the debate. All four have fallen short of the donor requirements, and Hutchinson, Hurd, and Suarez do not meet the polling requirement as well.
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Who has agreed to support the Republican nominee?
Haley, Scott, Burgum, and Suarez have verbally committed to supporting the Republican nominee in 2024, as of July 3. Hurd is the only one who has outright refused to pledge his support to the nominee, acknowledging it will impede him from joining the debate stage next month.
