Staff Reports
It’s official! Six Republican candidates have met the qualifications to participate in the first primary debate next month. The big question, though, is whether or not the former president, Donald Trump, will actually show up. Trump has been leading in the polls by a landslide, so he’s thinking, “Why bother?” In true Trump fashion, he recently said, “When you have a big lead, you don’t do it.” Classic Donald!
Here's who qualifies for the first RNC debate as Trump mulls whether to show up https://t.co/2Lzgn4gmeN
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) July 24, 2023
But let’s not forget about the other contenders. Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor, is Trump’s top rival in the polls. He’s already met the donor and polling requirements and has been itching for a chance to challenge Trump on the debate stage. DeSantis wants to make it clear that nobody is entitled to the nomination. You have to earn it!
Nikki Haley, former South Carolina governor, is also in the running. She’s reached the donor threshold and her polling numbers look pretty decent. Haley has been making waves with her campaign and has raised a whopping $18.7 million. That’s some serious cash!
Senator Tim Scott from South Carolina is another candidate who has met all the criteria. He might be polling behind Trump and DeSantis, but he’s raised over $20 million in campaign funds. Now that’s impressive!
Vivek Ramaswamy, a political newcomer from the biotech industry, has also secured a spot onstage. He’s been steadily gaining popularity in the polls, with 6% of GOP voters favoring him. Not too shabby for a newbie!
And finally, we have Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey. He’s been itching to debate Trump and is confident he’ll meet all the requirements. The only thing left for him to do is sign the loyalty pledge. Christie is taking it seriously and promises to be just as committed as Trump was in 2016.
These candidates are ready to bring their A-game to the debate stage. But there are still some notable contenders who haven’t made the cut yet, like Mike Pence and Will Hurd. They’ve got some work to do if they want to join the others in Milwaukee. As for Trump, we’ll just have to wait and see what he decides. Will he show up and face his rivals? Or will he sit back and enjoy his comfortable lead in the polls? Only time will tell!
