2nd GOP Debate Will Be Missing 2 Candidates

When Republicans take the stage Wednesday night for the second debate of the 2024 primary season, there will be one fewer candidate. Asa Hutchinson, the former Arkansas governor who participated in the first debate, did not make the cut for Wednesday's, so he'll be holding a press conference in Michigan instead. The Republican National Committee announced Monday night that the other seven candidates who participated the first time around did make the cut, which included donor requirements (at least 50,000 unique donors, at least 200 of which had to come from at least 20 states or territories), polling requirements (3% or more support in two national polls or 3% in one national poll plus two polls from Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, or South Carolina), and the signing of a pledge to support the eventual GOP nominee.

Those seven are Ron DeSantis, Tim Scott, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, Chris Christie, Doug Burgum, and Mike Pence, the AP reports. Former President Trump is once again opting to skip the debate in favor of giving a speech to union workers in Michigan. On Monday, Trump gave a speech that Fox News broadcast live, until Trump mentioned that he skipped the first debate—which was hosted by Fox—at which point the network cut away, Yahoo News reports. So far, just Trump, DeSantis, Ramaswamy, and Haley have met the even-more-difficult requirements to participate in the third debate, which will take place in Miami in November, Politico reports. (More details on Wednesday's debate here.)