Republican White House contenders facing rising debate criteria and fundraising scrutiny may call it quits in the coming weeks
As the requirements to participate in the next Republican presidential nomination debate become more stringent, and with important fundraising reports from the campaigns expected soon, we might see a reduction in the number of GOP presidential candidates in the coming weeks.
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, who considered a 2024 presidential run but decided against it, has been saying for months that there are too many candidates in the Republican race for the presidential nomination.
Sununu suggests that if a candidate does not qualify for the initial debates, they should seriously consider dropping out of the race.
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who participated in the first two Republican debates, told Fox News in August that it’s time for his rivals who haven’t made it to the debate stage to exit the race.
Up until now, only one candidate aiming for the White House has ended their campaign. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez decided to suspend his campaign after not making it onto the stage for the first Republican presidential nomination debate. This debate was hosted by Fox News and took place on August 23 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson was one of the eight candidates at the first debate but did not qualify for the second debate, which was co-hosted by Fox Business at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Hutchinson mentioned that if he fails to qualify for the third GOP presidential nomination debate, which is scheduled for November 8 in Miami, Florida, he will consider the future of his campaign.
Michigan businessman and expert in the quality control industry, Perry Johnson, who did not qualify for the first two presidential debates, is considering a change in direction by thinking about running for an open Senate seat in his home state.
He mentioned that he has received many calls urging him to run for the Senate seat, but for now, his main focus is on the presidential race. He emphasized that running for president demands all of his time and energy at the moment.
Former Texas Representative Will Hurd, who previously worked as an undercover agent for the CIA, also did not make it to the stage in the first two debates. He mentioned that his team is constantly assessing whether they have the resources and a viable path to win the presidential race. He intends to travel to New Hampshire to communicate his message to voters ahead of the state’s primary. Hurd believes that educating voters on how to address critical issues is crucial, and he hopes other candidates will do the same.
Larry Elder, a Republican candidate and former nationally syndicated radio host who also ran in the 2021 California gubernatorial recall election, did not qualify for the first two debates.
Former President Donald Trump, who had a strong lead in the GOP presidential nomination race, chose not to participate in the first two debates. He recently announced that he won’t attend the third debate either.
Governor Chris Sununu, who has been critical of Trump, expects that by the end of the year, the field of Republican candidates will be smaller, especially as the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, the first two important contests in the Republican nomination process. , approach. Sununu predicts that by the end of December, there may be around five or six different candidates going into Iowa and perhaps three or four entering the New Hampshire primary. This could present a significant opportunity for the Republican Party.
The third quarter of fundraising, which covers the period from July to September, ended on Saturday. The campaigns will have to reveal their fundraising numbers in the next two weeks.
For some struggling candidates who have had trouble making it to the debate stage, a disappointing fundraising report could spell the end of their campaigns.
Longtime Republican consultant Alex Castellanos, who has worked on many Republican presidential campaigns, expressed that many of these candidates may soon find it difficult to continue their campaigns. He likened it to them having to stop playing and leave the game.
Castellanos emphasized that the time is approaching for the smaller candidates to drop out so that the field can start to come together. He highlighted the importance of determining whether Donald Trump can defeat all the other candidates or if there’s someone he can’t beat – that’s the ultimate test.