SIMI VALLEY, CALIFORNIA — Republican presidential candidates scrambled this week to reach the Republican National Committee’s qualifications to attend the first debate on Wednesday. But two of the candidates who participated in the first debate may not make it to the second round.
The next debate will occur on September 27 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. But North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson still need to meet the higher threshold required to participate in round two.
The other six contenders have already met the second debate requirements, including receiving donations from at least 50,000 individuals and achieving three percent in two national polls after August 1 or three percent in one national survey and two early-voting state polls.
Burgum’s campaign announced today that he met the donor threshold but has not yet met the polling numbers. Burgum used his own money this year to fund television ad campaigns in early states but has never surpassed one percent in a national poll.
Hutchinson said earlier this week that his performance in the first debate could help him reach the threshold for the second debate. The rest of the GOP candidates who did not make it to Wednesday’s debate – including Miami Mayor Francis Suarez – now face an uphill battle with voters.
