Vivek Ramaswamy is the first GOP presidential candidate to formally qualify for the primary debates by signing the RNC pledge to support the party’s eventual nominee.
Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel made the “Beat Biden pledge” a top priority and a requirement for her party’s candidates to participate in its debates.
The RNC pledge insists that candidates affirm they will only participate in RNC-sanctioned debates. If candidates fail to sign the pledge, they will not be allowed to participate in any further party-sanctioned debates.
The pledge goes on to say, “Additionally, I affirm that if I do not win the 2024 Republican nomination for President of the United States, I will honor the will of the primary voters and support the 2024 Republican presidential nominee in order to save our country and beat Joe Biden.”
“I further pledge that I will not seek to run as an independent or write-in candidate nor will I seek or accept the nomination for president of any other party,” it adds.
Additionally, candidates must garner at least 1% in three national polls, or 1% in two national polls and two state-specific polls from Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, or Nevada to qualify for the debates. Candidates must also have 40,000 unique donors to their campaign committees with “at least 200 unique donors per state or territory in 20+ states and/or territories,” according to the RNC.
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The Washington Post quotes senior Ramaswamy adviser Tricia McLaughlin as she notes that, by meeting both the polling and donor requirements, Ramaswamy has demonstrated the early success of his campaign. “Vivek is a first-time candidate who started with very low name ID, no political donors, and no pre-existing fundraising lists. If an outsider can clear the bar, politically experienced candidates should be able to as well,” McLaughlin said. “Vivek has achieved what no one has said is possible. We look forward to Vivek participating in his first debate.”
To date, former President Donald Trump has ignored the requirement and has suggested he may not even participate in the debates. “I’m leading by 40 points. A lot of people say, ‘Why would you do a debate when you have people at two and three and fifteen and fourteen [percent]?’” Trump told John Catsimatidis, host of the “Cats & Cosby Show” on WABC 770. “People don’t debate when they have these massive leads. They say, ‘Why would we debate?’ I would have a hostile group of anchors — a hostile network — asking questions. Why would I do that?”
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