Former Vice President Mike Pence’s campaign says he has qualified for the first Republican presidential primary debate, which will be held later this month in Wisconsin.
The Pence campaign met the 40,000-individual donor requirement and filed the fundraising numbers with the Republican National Committee for verification Monday, becoming the first campaign to do so.
Fox News first reported on the former Indiana governor meeting the donor threshold.
“Mike Pence made quick and easy work of the donor threshold and he’s looking forward to a substantive debate about the issues important to the American people,” spokesman Devin O’Malley said in a statement. “Hopefully, former President Trump has the courage to show up.”
Pence had already met the RNC requirement for candidates to have at least 1% support in three national polls in order to take the stage in Milwaukee on Aug. 23.
Pence speaks at a campaign event at American Legion Hall Post 27 in Londonderry, New Hampshire, on August 4, 2023. AFP via Getty ImagesThe former vice president is believed to be the eighth 2024 GOP contender to qualify for the first primary debate, according to Politico, joining former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
Pence’s campaign noted that it has also exceeded the RNC’s requirement that debaters have 200 or more donors in at least 20 states, reporting that it has met the threshold in 40 states, according to Fox News.
The RNC is expected to make the qualifying criteria for the second GOP debate in September more stringent.
Pence speaks at the Republican Party of Iowa’s 2023 Lincoln Dinner at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, Iowa, on July 28, 2023. AFP via Getty ImagesA source familiar with the plans told The Post that the RNC will demand that candidates hit a 50,000 unique donor threshold and garner at least 3% support in select polling.
A RealClearPolitics average of national polls shows Pence receiving 5.1% support.
The 64-year-old former vice president qualified for the August showdown despite lackluster second-quarter fundraising numbers released last month, which showed his campaign raising a mere $1.2 million from donors in the three weeks since launching his White House bid.
Former President Donald Trump and then Vice President Pence attend a campaign rally at Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City, Michigan, on Nov. 2, 2020. REUTERSIt’s unclear if Pence will be on stage in Milwaukee with his former boss, Trump, who has said he is considering skipping the debate, citing his massive lead in the polls.
Pence, who says he refused Trump’s orders to stop the certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential election victory, cooperated with special counsel Jack Smith during his probe of the 45th president’s actions in the aftermath of the race.
Last week, Smith charged Trump with four counts — conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights – related to the investigation.
“Today’s indictment serves as an important reminder: anyone who puts himself over the Constitution should never be President of the United States,” Pence said in a statement after the special counsel’s indictment was released.
