Just 7 Candidates Qualify for Second Republican Debate

Higher requirements to take part in the next debate mean that some former participants have not made the cut.

With the exception of former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Republican presidential candidates (3rd L-R) former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and North Dakota governor Doug Burgum raise their hands to say they would support Donald Trump as the party's presidential nominee during the first debate of the GOP primary season hosted by FOX News at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis., on Aug. 23, 2023. Win McNamee/Getty Images

A total of seven Republican candidates have qualified for the second 2024 GOP presidential debate, the Republican National Committee (RNC) announced on Sept. 25.

Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum met the criteria needed to qualify for the second primary, which is set to take place on Wednesday, the RNC said.