Former Vice President Mike Pence has become the eighth, and perhaps final, candidate to qualify for the first Republican presidential primary debate, setting up a possible prime-time clash with Donald Trump.
That face-off with Trump is not certain, however, because the former president has not yet confirmed whether he will take part in the event.
Several other GOP hopefuls, meanwhile, have also qualified for the debate. Here’s a look at details including who’ll be on stage and when and where the debate will be held.
When and where is the debate?
The first debate of the GOP primary season will be held Aug. 23 in Milwaukee, the same city that will host the party’s 2024 convention. The two-hour debate is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. Eastern time and is being hosted by Fox News.
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Besides Pence, who has qualified?
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and Trump have all met the debate requirements.
Other GOP hopefuls including former Rep. Will Hurd of Texas and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez have not yet made the cut.
Now read: Here are the Republicans running for president in 2024, before their first debate later this month
Also read: Mike Pence says inflation is 16%, but CPI is 3%. This is his logic.
What are the requirements for the Milwaukee debate?
For the first debate, a candidate needs to have at least 1% support in three high-quality national polls or in a mix of state and national polls and must have secured at least 40,000 unique donors.
Getting on stage for the second debate will be tougher. That contest, scheduled for Sept. 27 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California, will require candidates to have at least 3% support in two national polls, or in one national poll as well as two polls from four of the early-voting states. Candidates must also have at least 50,000 unique donors, as the Associated Press has reported.
Now read: Republican Party raising qualification bar for second presidential primary debate
What has Trump said about attending the debate?
Playing his cards close to the vest, the former president is asking his supporters whether he should be in Milwaukee on Aug. 23. In an email on Saturday, Trump said he thinks it’s “sort of foolish” for him to attend, given his outsized polling lead.
“Hopefully, former President Trump has the courage to show up,” Pence’s communications adviser Devin O’Malley said in a statement on Tuesday.
Read next: Pence, Trump attorney offer conflicting claims over what Trump said ahead of Jan. 6
