RNC Releases Requirements to Make the Primary Debate Stage

The Republican National Committee on Friday announced its requirements for candidates to qualify for the first primary debate in August.

Candidates require the following:

• Poll at 1% in three national polls or 1% in two national polls and one early state poll
• 40,000 unique donors
• Must sign a pledge to support the eventual GOP nominee

“The RNC is committed to putting on a fair, neutral, and transparent primary process and the qualifying criteria set forth will put our party and eventual nominee in the best position to take back the White House come November 2024,” Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement.

BREAKING: The RNC has released requirements for the first presidential debate to be held in Milwaukee on August 23.

– Must poll at 1% in three national polls or 1% in two national polls and one early state poll
– 40,000 unique donors
– Must sign a pledge to support the eventual… pic.twitter.com/ZkGsdncdzw

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) June 2, 2023

The New York Post reported:

Candidates who meet the eligibility criteria will be arranged on stage based on polling, with the highest polling candidate getting center stage. The RNC left open the possibility of holding a second debate on Aug. 24, if enough candidates qualify — though it is unclear what the threshold would have to be to make that happen.

The RNC notes that criteria for future debates may include higher polling and fundraising requirements.

Currently, six GOP presidential candidates are polling above 1% nationally – former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina governor and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) – according to a RealClearPolitics average.

Pence has not formally announced his candidacy, but is expected to do so June 7.

Candidates with less name recognition, such as former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson and conservative radio talk radio host Larry Elder, may struggle to meet the debate requirements.

Vivek Ramaswamy commented on qualifying for the debate stage.

WATCH:

Good news: officially on the debate stage. Buckle up. pic.twitter.com/V52CcADHDP

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) June 2, 2023

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said he would meet “whatever is set” to make the debate stage.

The Hill noted:

Hutchinson said in an interview with Fox News on Friday that getting on the debate stage is “very important,” but he takes issue with some of the criteria that the Republican National Committee (RNC) set for candidates to be able to participate in debates — including the fundraising requirements and the loyalty pledge to support the eventual nominee.

“First of all, I’m going to meet the criteria, whatever is set, to get on the debate stage,” Hutchinson said. “It’s very important.”

He said he would have preferred a pledge to not run as a third-party candidate instead of one to support whoever becomes the Republican nominee for president.

The RNC announced the criteria for candidates to make the debate stage for the first debates in August on Friday. Candidates must poll at 1 percent at least in three national polls or at 1 percent in two national polls and one state poll from two of the early-voting states, which include Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.