North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who jumped into the Republican primary race in June, has qualified for the first Republican primary debate taking place August 23 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
In order to qualify for the first Republican National Committee (RNC) debate, a presidential hopeful must meet a range of requirements, which include polling at least one percent in three national polls or polling at one percent in two national polls in addition to garnering one percent support in an early-state poll. The surveys must be considered legitimate by the RNC, meeting requirements for sample size and methods. Burgum met the polling requirements after securing one percent in the latest Morning Consult poll, after having garnered “6 percent in a University of New Hampshire Granite State poll” in addition to surveys centric to New Hampshire and Iowa, Politico reported.
Additionally, candidates must have at least 40,000 unique donors to their presidential campaign committee, including “at least 200 unique donors per state or territory in 20+ states and/or territories,” per the RNC’s original press release.
According to reports, Burgum is the latest presidential candidate to reach those thresholds. His campaign made headlines earlier this month after offering $20 gift cards to those who donate $1 to his presidential campaign. His campaign spokesperson Lance Trover pitched the move as a way to help working families while also assisting Burgum in securing a spot on the debate stage.
“The burden on American families caused by the Democrats is unruly, and Joe Biden is doing nothing to fix it,” the WinRed donation page read. “We want to help, so we’re offering YOU a $20 gift card, and all YOU have to do is contribute $1 to claim it.”
Trover said in another statement that Burgum is “looking forward to sharing his focus on the economy, energy and national security at the August debate.”
Burgum hit on those topics during a June appearance on Breitbart News Saturday, describing his platform as one which focuses on improving the life of Americans.
“We’re going to focus on the economy. We’re going to focus on energy, and we’re going to focus on national security, including the border because those are the things that affect virtually every American,” Burgum said at the time.
Seven candidates, including Burgum, have now qualified for the debate: Former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, anti-woke businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott.
It remains to be seen if Trump will participate in the debate, as there has been chatter that he is considering alternate programming.
“Listen, I’m torn on it. I mean, the meme general in me wants to see it because I know he’ll do great,” Donald Trump Jr. told Breitbart News during an interview at the Turning Point Action Conference in West Palm Beach, Florida, this month when asked for his thoughts about his father participating in the first debate.
“At the same time, am I gonna give, you know, Asa Hutchinson polling at .01 percent, you know Chris Christie, polling at 1 percent, you know, a three-hour window to basically crap all over you?” he asked.
“That’s literally, you just gotta go after the one guy and that’s what everyone has to do, right? To be the man you gotta beat the man. So do you give them that opportunity?” he asked, emphasizing that he is “torn in the sense that I want to see it because I know my father will do well, just like he crushed, you know, on the CNN town hall.”
“As a strategist, like, do you give every loser who’s looking to become the conservative voice of CNBC, like you give them the chance to try to dunk on you for three hours? It doesn’t seem all that intelligent,” he added.
WATCH– Donald Trump Jr.: I’m “Torn” on Father Participating in RNC Debate
WATCH the full interview below:
Jack Knudsen / Breitbart News
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