Republican National Committee boosts polling and fundraising thresholds to qualify for 2nd debate

By MEG KINNARD
Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Some Republican presidential candidates haven’t met polling and fundraising thresholds for the first 2024 debate, and now requirements for making it to the second debate will be even higher. A person familiar with the qualifications for the Sept. 27 debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library told The Associated Press on Wednesday candidates seeking to get to the second debate will need at least 3% in two national polls or will need 3% in one national poll as well as two polls from four of the early-voting states: Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. The candidates must have at least 50,000 unique donors, up from 40,000 for the first debate, Aug. 23 in Milwaukee.