With former President Donald Trump still in the lead among the field of a dozen-plus Republican candidates seeking the nomination for president in 2024, there are a handful of contenders still seeking to land a spot on the stage for the first primary debate in Milwaukee next month.
As Townhall reported earlier this week, six candidates cleared the eligibility criteria set by the Republican National Committee to participate: Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott, and Chris Christie. Now, there's one more name being added to the lineup.
The remaining declared candidates have spent the summer seeking donations and jockeying for a bump in the polls to meet the RNC's requirements, and one more Republican just cleared the final hurdle to join the six others on stage in August.
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum — who grabbed headlines and picked up thousands of donors across the country with his "Biden Economic Relief Card" program, through which Americans could get a $20 gift card in return for a $1 donation to his campaign — had recently met the donor requirement but it took until a new Morning Consult poll released Tuesday for him to register that one percent of support needed in a sufficient number of polls recognized by the RNC for its criteria.
— Doug Burgum (Text "DOUG" to 70177) (@DougBurgum) July 25, 2023
The latest 2024 primary poll showed Trump with 59 percent and a 43-point lead over DeSantis' 16 percent. Ramaswamy registered eight percent, Pence drew six percent, and Scott and Christie tied with two percent each. Burgum finally got his one percent, while Asa Hutchinson and Francis Suarez had goose eggs.
Now, Burgum is the seventh Republican who will be on the debate stage, though Trump has remained noncommittal about appearing, seemingly happy to let the other candidates duke it out amongst themselves and ding their own records before a national audience of millions.
Former Vice President Mike Pence has not yet cleared the RNC's donor threshold but says he'll make it over that hurdle in time to join the others in Milwaukee.