Pence joins 2024 rivals asking for $1 donations to make GOP debate stage
Mabinty Quarshie
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Roughly one month before the Republican National Committee‘s first 2024 primary debate, two more GOP presidential candidates are pressing their supporters to donate $1 in order to make the debate stage.
Former Vice President Mike Pence and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez are both pushing for grassroots contributions in order to meet the RNC’s 40,000-donors requirement to participate at the Aug. 23 debate in Milwaukee.
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Suarez, in particular, is ginning up donations by dangling a $20 gift card to anyone who gives $1. “Bidenomics is making the American Dream unaffordable, so I asked, ‘how can I help,’ and you answered,” Suarez tweeted. “I’m offering EVERY AMERICAN a $20 Bidenomics Relief Card when you give just $1 to help me qualify for the debate stage.”
It’s a tactic employed by Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND) and Vivek Ramaswamy, also 2024 hopefuls, and appears to have been successful albeit legally questionable. Both Burgum and Ramaswamy have announced they met the financial and polling requirements the RNC stipulated and will be on the debate stage.
Pence is not offering $20 gift cards, but he has nonetheless asked his base to chip in with $1 donations. “The support @KarenPence and I have seen as we travel around this great Nation has been humbling!” Pence tweeted. “But in order to make it on the debate stage we need 40,000 freedom loving Americans to join us! Donate today and we’ll see you on that debate stage!”
A source close to Pence said the campaign is “getting closer” to meeting the threshold and mentioned that during a West Coast swing, Pence garnered 2,000 donors in one day over the weekend.
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Pence currently attracts 5% support among GOP primary voters, according to a RealClearPolitics polling average; Suarez is polling at 0%. The RNC requires candidates to reach at least 1% in three national polls or 1% in two national polls and 1% in one early state poll.
The former vice president raised $1.2 million in the second quarter, millions below the $35 million former President Donald Trump raised in the same period. Suarez, who launched his presidential bid in June, raised $945,450 in the second quarter.
Julia Johnson contributed to this report.