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The stage is set for the second GOP presidential nomination debate Wednesday evening at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.
The Republican National Committee on Monday night announced the seven GOP presidential candidates who qualified for the showdown, which will be televised on the FOX Business Network (FBN) and UNIVISION from 9-11pm ET.
The White House contenders, in alphabetical order, are North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, biotech entrepreneur and political commentator Vivek Ramaswamy, and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina.
"Wednesday’s debate is another opportunity for the RNC to share our diverse candidate field with the American people. The Republican Party is united around one common goal – Beating Biden – and there is no better place to showcase our conservative vision for the future than the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library," said RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.
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Seven Republican candidates qualified for the second presidential debate. (Fox News / Fox News)
To participate in the second debate, candidates needed to reach polling and donor thresholds set by the RNC.
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They must have a minimum of 50,000 unique donors to their campaign or exploratory committee, including 200 donors in 20 or more states. The candidates must also reach 3% support in two national polls or reach 3% in one national poll and 3% in two polls conducted in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada or South Carolina, the four states that lead off the Republican presidential nominating calendar.
Additionally, candidates were also required to sign a pledge in which they agree to support the eventual Republican presidential nominee. They must agree not to participate in any non-RNC sanctioned debates for the rest of the 2024 election cycle and agree to data-sharing with the national party committee.
The Air Force One Pavilion at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum will host the FOX Business Republican primary debate on Sept.27, 2023. (Steve Whitaker Photography / Fox News)
Former President Donald Trump, who has reached the donor and polling thresholds, did not sign the RNC's pledge. Pointing to his commanding lead over his rivals for the nomination, the former president did not attend the first debate and is not showing up for the second showdown.
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Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson was the only candidate who qualified for last month's first debate – which had slightly lower donor and polling thresholds – who failed to make the stage at the second showdown.
Asa Hutchinson did not qualify for the second GOP primary debate. (Tom Williams / Getty Images)
"Despite falling short of the RNC's polling requirement for inclusion in the second Presidential Primary Debate, I will continue our campaign to bring out the best of America with events scheduled in Iowa, New Hampshire, and across the country in the next several weeks," Hutchinson said in a statement Monday night.
Hutchinson added that "I understand that the RNC and the media are trying to reduce the number of candidates, but I measure success based on the response I receive in early primary states like Iowa and New Hampshire. My goal is to increase my polling numbers to 4% in an early state before Thanksgiving. If that goal is met, then I remain competitive and in contention for either Caucus Day or Primary Day."
Among those who failed to qualify for the second debate — who also did not make the stage for the first debate — are 2022 Michigan gubernatorial candidate, businessman and quality control expert Perry Johnson; former CIA agent and former Rep. Will Hurd of Texas; and Larry Elder, a former nationally syndicated radio host who was a candidate in California's 2021 gubernatorial recall election.
Mayor Francis Suarez of Miami, Florida suspended his campaign after failing to qualify for the first debate.