RNC releases criteria for second GOP debate

The Republican National Committee (RNC) this week released eligibility criteria for presidential candidates to make the second GOP debate.

RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in an interview Tuesday on Fox News that candidates need to register at 3 percent in two national polls and need to make a donor threshold of 50,000 unique donors by the second debate.

According to Politico, which first reported the debate criteria, candidates can also make the polling threshold by registering at a minimum of 3 percent in one national poll and 3 percent in two polls surveying voters in two early primary states, which include Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.

The second debate is set to be held Sept. 27 in Simi Valley, Calif., at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

"We should be stepping up the criteria. Once you get on the debate stage and you get in front of the American people, if you're not having momentum, if you're not showing growth in your campaign, then that's a problem," McDaniel said on Fox News in support of the second debate criteria. 

For the first debate Aug. 23, candidates need to have a minimum of 40,000 unique donors, including 200 or more from 20 or more states each. Candidates also needed to register at 1 percent in three national polls or two national polls and two early state polls — and sign a pledge saying they'll support the eventual GOP nominee.

McDaniel compared the second debate to the Olympics and called the first debate the "prelims."

"And we need to make sure that we are putting in front of the Republican primary voters, the candidate who is going to take on Joe Biden," she continued. "And I say this all the time, you know, you don't go to the Olympics unless you pass the prelims, right? This is the Olympic stage of the Republican Party primary and there's going to be criteria that you have to meet to be on that stage."

So far, the candidates who have qualified for the first GOP debate include former President Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.) and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

Trump has yet to commit to taking part in either debate.