RNC Sets Debate Rules: Participants Must Poll At Over 1% And Pledge Their Support To Eventual GOP Nominee

Politico reports:

The first debate will be Aug. 23 on Fox News Channel, with a possible second date of Aug. 24 if enough candidates meet polling and fundraising criteria — and also commit to supporting the eventual Republican nominee and pledge that they will not participate in any outside debates.

Candidates will have to garner donations from at least 40,000 national contributors and poll consistently above 1 percent in three national polls or two national polls and a state poll, according to the RNC’s announcement. Candidates must secure donations “with at least 200 unique donors per state or territory in 20+ states and/or territories.”

The new standards appear designed to prevent the free-for-all, circus-like debates that occurred in the 2016 Republican primaries. Though it’s too soon to know which candidates will clear the thresholds, the criteria are likely to be difficult for at least some hopefuls to clear.

Read the full article.

Trump has already said that he won’t pledge to support the nominee because it’s “obviously” going to be him. The RNC will surely give him a pass on that requirement.

RNC will require debate participants to support eventual nominee https://t.co/Em1AoqaeE5

— POLITICO (@politico) June 2, 2023