RNC confirms 8 candidates to participate in first debate in Milwaukee

The first Republican presidential primary debate will feature 8 candidates on the stage, the Republican National Committee announced Tuesday.

The debate, which Fox News will host on Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, will feature  North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, former Vice President Mike Pence, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, and Vivek Ramaswamy, the RNC has confirmed.

To make the stage, candidates were required to reach 1% in three national polls, or 1% in two national polls and two state-specific polls from the early voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada.

Additionally, to reach the debate stage, candidates were required to have 40,000 unique donors to their campaign committee (or exploratory committee), with ‘at least 200 unique donors per state or territory in 20+ states and/or territories,’ according to the RNC criteria.

The candidates were also required to sign a pledge agreeing to support the eventual Republican presidential nominee; agreeing not to participate in any non-RNC-sanctioned debates for the rest of the 2024 election cycle; and agreeing to data-sharing with the national party committee, the RNC noted last month.

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Former President Donald Trump has refused to sign such a pledge, despite meeting the rest of the debate criteria.

The first presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle will air on Fox News, and Rumble is the online live-streaming partner. Young America’s Foundation is also a partner in the first debate.

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser and Brandon Gillespie contributed to this report.