Republican presidential candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson has announced that he has qualified for the first GOP primary debate, which will take place on Wednesday in Milwaukee. Hutchinson joins a group of White House hopefuls who are looking for a breakout moment on stage.
Hutchinson revealed on CNN’s ”State of the Union” that his campaign has met all the criteria set by the Republican National Committee (RNC) to participate in the debate. This includes meeting the polling criteria and securing at least 40,000 individual donors. Hutchinson stated that he had submitted 42,000 individual donors to the RNC.
To qualify for the debate, candidates must have a minimum of 40,000 unique donors, with at least 200 unique donors per state. They must also reach at least 1% in three national polls meeting the RNC’s requirements or at least 1% in two national polls and two polls from separate early voting states. Additionally, candidates are expected to sign a loyalty pledge expressing their commitment to support the eventual Republican nominee, regardless of who it is.
Hutchinson, who has been a vocal critic of GOP frontrunner and former President Donald Trump, initially pushed back against the loyalty pledge. However, he announced on Sunday that he will sign it, stating that he is confident Trump will not be the nominee. Hutchinson believes that the debate will be even more important without Trump on the stage, as it will allow voters to contrast the candidates and their positions.
The former Arkansas governor had previously met the polling threshold but struggled to meet the donor requirement. In an effort to attract sufficient contributors, his campaign announced a raffle for movie tickets on Friday.
Hutchinson has been one of the most outspoken critics of the RNC’s debate qualification rules. He has previously stated that some of the tactics employed by his fellow candidates to attract donors illustrate the silliness of the whole concept.
With this announcement, Hutchinson will join the six other candidates who have qualified for the debate. These include former Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, and South Carolina Gov. Tim Scott. Trump, who currently leads the GOP race, is expected to skip the debate and instead sit for an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
Hutchinson criticized Trump’s decision to skip the debate, calling it a mistake. He believes that Trump is prioritizing his own importance over the party and the opportunity to present and defend his position to the American people.
This story has been updated with additional details.
What are the specific criteria set by the Republican National Committee for candidates to qualify for the first GOP primary debate?
1. Hutchinson, a Republican presidential candidate and former governor of Arkansas, announced that he has fulfilled the necessary requirements to participate in the first GOP primary debate scheduled to take place in Milwaukee on Wednesday.
2. He revealed this information during an interview on CNN’s ”State of the Union” program.
3. To qualify for the debate, candidates must meet specific criteria set by the Republican National Committee (RNC). These include securing at least 40,000 individual donors and meeting certain polling requirements.
4. Hutchinson stated that his campaign has submitted 42,000 individual donors to the RNC, surpassing the minimum requirement.
5. Candidates must also have at least 200 unique donors per state in order to qualify.
6. In terms of polling, candidates must either achieve at least 1% in three national polls that meet the RNC’s requirements or at least 1% in two national polls and two polls from other sources.
7. Hutchinson’s inclusion in the debate puts him among a group of White House hopefuls who are eager to make a strong impression on a national stage.
Congratulations to Asa Hutchinson for qualifying for the GOP primary debate! Interesting to see his criticism of Trump’s decision to skip, it’ll be an important discussion to look forward to.