Former Vice President Mike Pence has just announced news about his efforts to participate in the first Republican presidential nomination debate.

Pence, the former vice president, has successfully met the requirements to participate in his party's first presidential debate, as he reached the minimum donor threshold introduced by the Republican National Committee. the Fox News reported.

Pence's campaign hits donor threshold

Earlier on Monday, Pence's 2024 presidential campaign announced that it had surpassed the 40,000-donor threshold.

This is one of the two criteria set by the Republican National Committee (RNC) for GOP White House hopefuls to be eligible for the debate stage. Pence had previously met the polling threshold set by the RNC.

His political team informed the RNC of their qualification. They highlighted being the first campaign to submit their numbers for the national party committee's verification process.

Fox News to host the debate

The debate, hosted by Fox News, is scheduled for Aug. 23 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Pence is the eighth Republican presidential candidate to announce their qualification for the debate.

Among the other contenders who have met the criteria are former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

Trump's participation remains uncertain

While many have qualified, Trump has not yet confirmed his attendance for the first debate.

Pence's campaign has showcased impressive numbers, boasting 200 or more donors in 40 states. This is notably higher than the 20-state threshold set by the RNC.

The former vice president's campaign, which began in early June, reached the donor threshold in just nine weeks. This pace was faster than that of three of his competitors: Scott, Haley, and Ramaswamy.

Donor strategy of Pence's campaign

Pence's team emphasized its genuine approach to gathering donations. Campaign officials achieved the donor threshold, they said, without resorting to giveaways or gimmicks.

In contrast, Burgum, a wealthy former software executive, made news by offering $20 gift cards for one-dollar donations.

Pence's campaign also revealed that less than half of its donors were acquired through digital outreach. They believe that events with Pence and direct mail remain the campaign's strong suits.

Pence's position in early polls

Since launching his presidential bid, Pence has been actively campaigning in early voting states like Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina.

However, recent Republican presidential primary polls show Pence's support still lingering in the single digits.

This is significantly behind where Trump stands, with the former president still the clear front-runner for the 2024 GOP nomination.

Last week, Pence drew significant attention after the indictment and arraignment of the former president on charges related to the 2020 election.

Over the weekend, Trump intensified his criticism of Pence, especially concerning the Jan. 6, 2021 unrest at the U.S. Capitol.

Statements from Pence's campaign

Devin O’Malley, Pence campaign spokesman, said:

Mike Pence made quick and easy work of the donor threshold, and he’s looking forward to a substantive debate about the issues important to the American people. Hopefully, former President Trump has the courage to show up.

In recent weeks, Pence had expressed confidence about qualifying for the debate.

Last week, during a conference call with donors, Steve DaMaura, Pence's campaign manager, shared that the campaign had surpassed 30,000 unique donors. He noted that the campaign was also averaging over 1,000 new donors daily.

Conclusion

• Mike Pence has qualified for the first Republican presidential nomination debate.
• The debate is set for August 23 in Milwaukee and will be hosted by Fox News.
• Pence's campaign reached the 40,000-donor threshold in just nine weeks.
• Former President Donald Trump's participation in the debate remains uncertain.
• Pence's campaign emphasizes genuine donor acquisition without gimmicks.
• Recent polls show Pence trailing significantly behind Trump in the GOP nomination race.