The Republican National Committee announced the lineup for the first Republican debate scheduled for Wednesday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will stand at the center stage, according to the RNC. The Florida governor will stand at podium #1 and Ramaswamy will be at podium #2.
Former U.N. Ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley will stand to the right between Ramaswamy and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott. North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is placed at the right end and Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson will stand at the left end.
The stage is set for the first Republican Presidential Debate! Tune in tomorrow at 9:00pm EST. pic.twitter.com/1I6HZcea6g
— GOP (@GOP) August 22, 2023
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Vice President Mike Pence will stand in between Hutchinson and DeSantis, with Pence standing beside the Florida governor. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Donald Trump Jr., Kimberly Guilfoyle To Attend First GOP Debate Despite Trump Absence)
The eight candidates reached the RNC’s threshold by drawing at least 4,000 donors and garnering at least 1% favorability in the national polls. Former President Donald Trump qualified for the debate but decided not to participate.
Republican consultants and analysts said Trump participating in the debates is not in his best interest since he will dominate the news cycle regardless. The former president wrote Sunday in a Truth Social post that he will not participate because of his legislative record and for being ahead in the polls.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez claimed he qualified for the debate Friday, but the RNC rejected he had met the criteria.