Brian Schimming, Chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, took to the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, to share his excitement on the upcoming Republican Debate. The debate is scheduled to be held in Milwaukee on August 23.
"As state chairman, excited to have this historic #GOPDebate here in Milwaukee, at very same place where we will nominate next President in July of 2024," Schimming said.
Milwaukee is poised to be the host city for the first Republican Presidential Debate scheduled for August 23rd at the Fiserv Forum. The debate is set to showcase a panel of eight candidates, each of whom had to meet specific criteria before attending: achieving a 1% standing in three national polls, or securing 1% in two national polls and two state-specific polls from the early voting states, as well as have 40,000 unique donors, according to Fox News.
The participating candidates in the debate are North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, former Vice President Mike Pence, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, and Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, according to NBC.
Absent from the debate will be former president Donald Trump, who has claimed that he sees no necessity to engage in debates, citing his considerable lead, by 34 points, in the ongoing polls. Trump would have also been ineligible for the debate due to his refusal to sign the same pledge that other candidates were required to sign, which showed their commitment to backing their party's eventual nominee. Reportedly, Trump has recorded an interview with Tucker Carlson to be aired on the night of the debate, according to NBC News.
Trump's choice to decline participation in the debate has sparked debate among his followers, particularly given his recent indictment from last week. In total, Trump has faced four indictments in the past few months. This debate could hold significance for DeSantis, as he currently holds the second position in the polls, trailing only behind Trump, according to Reuters.