Everything is set for the first presidential debate in the US Republican primaries. The Party’s National Committee (CNR) said eight candidates met the criteria to take the stage tonight in Milwaukee.
To qualify for the debate, candidates had to meet polling and donor requirements set by the CNR: at least 1% voting intent in three national quizzes or a combination of national and state polls; at least 40,000 donors, including 200 in at least 20 states; the obligation to support the candidate who won the party primaries.
Here is a list of candidates who qualified, were excluded and withdrew, such as former president and lead candidate Donald Trump:
qualified candidates
Ron DeSantis
The Florida governor has long been seen as Trump’s archrival, coming in second in state early voting polls and nationwide polls, and raising large donations.
But DeSantis’ campaign in recent weeks has struggled to live up to the high expectations he has entered the race. The Republican fired more than a third of his staff as federal data showed his campaign was spending money irrationally.
With Trump absent from this debate, DeSantis could become one of the main targets of criticism from rivals, so his team is preparing him for continuous attacks. He participated in debate-related Q&A sessions at least once a week and was supported by experienced debate strategist Brett O’Donnell.
Tim Scott
The South Carolina senator is looking for a spotlight moment, and this first debate could be his opportunity as the summer kicked off with $21 million (€19.2 million) in donations raised.
A descendant of slaves, the second son of a single mother, and himself a loner, the 57-year-old senator from South Carolina is a successful black conservative on the American political scene.
He is the only black Republican currently serving in the Senate, where he maintains that the United States is not a racist country despite having been stopped five times by Capitol cops who doubted he was a senator, he said.
“Unlike some of his presidential candidates, Tim Scott did not inherit a great fortune or a distinguished family name. Instead, he grew up in poverty. Elections and becoming a millionaire – proving that the American dream is still possible, even for a poor black person.” boy from South Carolina,” wrote Forbes magazine in the profile of the candidate.
Nikki Haley
The only woman in the GOP race has won early voting states thanks to campaign events, recalling her time as U.S. ambassador to the UN – in the Trump administration – and often citing the international experience that position has given her.
His speeches often refer to the threat that China poses to the US. Haley has earned praise from conservative organizations, including a leading anti-abortion group, who said the candidate is “gifted with a unique way of communicating pro-life from a woman’s perspective.”
Entering the race in February, Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, raised $15.6 million (€14.4 million).
Vivek Ramaswami
The 38-year-old Indian-American biotech entrepreneur has managed to captivate audiences at the various events he has attended despite not being nationally known at the time of the race.
A fundamental aspect of his campaign lies in his clear stance towards China, the country he sees as the main threat to the United States.
According to a senior adviser who was granted anonymity to discuss campaign strategy, despite a busy campaign schedule, Ramaswamy had little to no preparation for the debate.
Chris Christie
The former governor of New Jersey began his campaign by presenting himself as the only candidate willing to meet with Trump. Christie urged the former president to “appear at the debate and defend his reputation”, calling him a “coward” if he doesn’t.
Last month, Christy, who launched her campaign in June, told CNN she surpassed “40,000 unique donors in just 35 days.” It also reached the requirements for voting.
Christie is seeking to win over more conservative Republicans and hopes to be a counterpoint to Trump and Ron DeSantis in a highly competitive field.
Doug Burgum
Doug Burgum, a wealthy former software entrepreneur now in his second term as governor of North Dakota, has used his fortune to boost his campaign.
As governor, Burgum passed at least eight anti-transgender bills in recent months – more than in almost any other state – and signed one of the nation’s most stringent abortion bans.
Mike Pence
Trump’s vice president risked not qualifying for the first debate as he struggled to raise enough donations.
However, on August 8, Pence’s campaign announced that it had crossed the 40,000 donor threshold and also that the former Trump vice president would be the first candidate to formally submit his donation data to the CNR for verification.
The adviser, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said earlier this month that Pence participated in several official pre-debate meetings, including at least one in which a campaign aide formerly close to Trump posed as former president.
Hutchinson Wing
The two-term former governor of Arkansas was the latest candidate to meet CNR requirements, announcing Sunday that he had finally surpassed 40,000 donors.
Asa Hutchinson is running as an “old-school” Republican and distinguishes herself from many of her Republican rivals in her willingness to criticize Trump.
The former governor, former congressman and prosecutor positions himself as a supporter of life, guns, free trade, anti-debt, anti-Vladimir Putin and anti-coup.
Donald Trump decided not to participate
The current favorite of the Republican Party has long satisfied the demands of voters and donors. But he thinks there’s no point in exposing himself to debate and attack from rivals when he’s clearly leading in the polls.
The mogul has also repeatedly criticized Fox hosting the prime-time event, insisting that it is a “hostile network” that he does not think will treat him fairly.
Given the lack of debate, the alternative is a side-by-side interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who now hosts the show on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
who did not qualify
Francis Suarez
Miami’s mayor told the Associated Press on Friday that he was eligible to debate, but the CNR disagreed, saying he didn’t meet the criteria.
Larry Elder
The conservative radio host said Monday he has complied, sharing a letter he sent to debate director David Bossy saying he plans to arrive in Milwaukee Tuesday afternoon.
After CNR noted that the issue was out of the discussion, Elder’s campaign said it planned to sue the party “for a last-minute attempt to keep him off the stage, even after he had complied – and in some cases even surpassed all requirements.
Perry Johnson
Johnson, a wealthy but unknown businessman from Michigan, claimed on social media earlier this month that he had 40,000 donors. The company said last week that it met other criteria.
On Monday, he posted a photo of the alleged permission to participate, but the shortlist did not include the name of Johnson, who claimed on social media that “the debate process was purely and simply flawed.”
Will Hurd
The former Texas congressman – the latest candidate to enter the race – has repeatedly said he would not commit to supporting a possible Republican presidential candidate, a mandatory and therefore self-exclusive criterion.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
I am Michael Melvin, an experienced news writer with a passion for uncovering stories and bringing them to the public. I have been working in the news industry for over five years now, and my work has been published on multiple websites. As an author at 24 News Reporters, I cover world section of current events stories that are both informative and captivating to read.