Mike Pence qualifies for first GOP presidential debate, joining Trump, DeSantis, Haley and others

Former Vice President Mike Pence has qualified for the archetypal Republican statesmanlike superior statement acceptable for aboriginal this month, his White House run said Tuesday.

But it's unclear if Pence volition get a accidental to statement look to look against his erstwhile boss, Donald Trump, who has suggested helium volition skip the forum since helium already holds a commanding pb successful the polls. The archetypal statement is acceptable for Aug. 23 successful Milwaukee.

Pence deed the Republican National Committee's 40,000-donor threshold, securing contributions from astatine slightest 200 unsocial donors successful 40 states, according to his campaign. That exceeds the RNC's criteria for the statement — which requires candidates to nett astatine slightest 200 donors from 20 oregon much states — putting Pence connected way to suffice for the 2nd debate, his run said.

Pence's run besides said it is the archetypal to taxable its donor number verification to the RNC.

Pence joins astatine slightest fractional a twelve different candidates who person already clinched spots connected the statement stage, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, erstwhile United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and erstwhile New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

The Pence run noted that the erstwhile vice president passed the RNC's threshold aft nine weeks connected the run way — a shorter timeframe than Haley, who deed the donor people successful 21 weeks, oregon Scott, who did it successful 13 weeks.

"Mike Pence made speedy and casual enactment of the donor threshold and he's looking guardant to a substantive statement astir the issues important to the American people," Pence spokesperson Devin O'Malley said successful a statement.

"Hopefully, erstwhile President Trump has the courageousness to amusement up," O'Malley said.

Pence isn't the lone 1 pushing Trump to enactment successful the debate. Christie, the erstwhile president's astir assertive Republican professional successful the superior field, has enactment himself guardant arsenic the astir susceptible campaigner to rip Trump isolated successful a rhetorical weapon fight.

"That's the lone happening that's going to decision Donald Trump," Christie said in March.

But Trump has repeatedly signaled helium is leaning against it. "Why would you fto idiosyncratic that's astatine zero, oregon 1 oregon 2 oregon 3 [in the polls] beryllium popping you with questions?" Trump said successful a caller interview.

Political strategists person said it makes small consciousness for Trump to exposure himself to each mode of attacks from his challengers connected his argumentation record, his myriad controversies and his galore pending transgression matters.

The lack of Trump, a media magnet and ratings booster, could besides undermine different candidates' efforts to marque an interaction connected the Republican superior electorate.

For lower-polling candidates — a bucket that could see everyone but for Trump and DeSantis — a breakout statement show could beryllium critical. And immoderate are pulling retired each the stops to marque definite they get their accidental connected the stage.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum had promised $20 acquisition cards to up to 50,000 radical who donated astatine slightest $1 to his White House bid. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez's run raffled disconnected Lionel Messi tickets. Both men said they person deed the donor qualification.

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said past week that his run is "close to halfway" toward the donor threshold.