Fox News DeSantis Hosts First Republican Presidential Primary Debate: ‘I Hope Everyone Who’s Eligible Will Come’
GOP presidential primary Debate:
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has affirmed his participation in the first Republican presidential nomination debate, stating that he will be present “regardless” of whether former President Donald Trump joins the event.
In an interview on “Fox News Tonight,” DeSantis emphasized the significance of the debate as an integral part of the political process, expressing his eagerness to showcase his candidacy, vision, and leadership to a broad audience.
The debate, hosted by Fox News, is slated to take place on August 23 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Despite commanding the front-runner position in the latest GOP presidential primary polls and embarking on his third consecutive White House run, former President Donald Trump has indicated the possibility of skipping the debate.
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This decision is partly attributed to his substantial lead over other contenders in the Republican 2024 field. However, Trump’s campaign officials have clarified that he has not yet made a final determination regarding his participation. In the event that Trump does not attend the debate, his team has been exploring alternative options for a separate event.
The Republican National Committee, responsible for organizing all the GOP presidential primary nominating debates, has established certain criteria for candidates to qualify for the stage. These requirements include meeting high donor thresholds as well as specific polling thresholds.
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Officials representing both Trump and DeSantis, as well as the presidential campaigns of former ambassador and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, have confirmed their compliance with the established thresholds.
However, several lesser-known candidates in the field of over a dozen contenders are confronted with the challenging task of meeting the requirements set by the RNC.
In addition to meeting the thresholds, the RNC will require participating candidates to sign a loyalty pledge, committing to support the eventual 2024 GOP nominee. This requirement has garnered criticism from candidates who openly oppose Trump.
Following the announcement that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis raised $20 million within the initial six weeks of his presidential campaign, he appeared on the Fox News Channel for an interview. Despite trailing behind Trump by a significant margin in the latest polls, DeSantis highlighted his impressive fundraising capabilities.
He emphasized the record-breaking nature of his fundraising achievement, stating, “Did you just see the news today about the record fundraising haul we’ve had? Nobody in the history of modern presidential politics has been able to match that.”
According to DeSantis, the substantial amount of support he has garnered enables him to effectively present his case to the people. He emphasized that the campaigning process is yet to fully commence, as they are currently focused on establishing a strong organization. DeSantis expressed confidence in their ability to have a presence in all the early states, indicating their commitment to an extensive ground game.
News of DeSantis’ impressive fundraising achievement, initially reported by Fox News Digital, coincided with an announcement from Trump’s team. They revealed that the former president’s campaign and his political action committee, Save America, collectively raised over $35 million during the second quarter of 2023, spanning from April to June.