Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is seeking the Republican nomination for president, could possibly be excluded from the Republican debates that will start next month.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) requires candidates running for president to have at least 40,000 donors contribute to their campaign. According to Politico, 5,000 donors have contributed to Hutchinson’s campaign.
In an interview with ABC News, Hutchinson said he believes he will be able to make it onto the debate stage.
“We’re not there yet, we need a lot of help to get there. It’s really important obviously to the voters, who are now starting to get tuned in with the Iowa Caucuses six months away,” Hutchinson said.
In a separate interview with NewsNation, Hutchinson said he believes the Iowa Caucuses are his path to becoming the nominee. He said he has been able to connect with voters in Iowa because it is similar to Arkansas.
Hutchinson said it is important to him to make it onto the debate stage.
“This debate is a way to contrast the candidates between themselves and their ideas. It is important, we’re working very hard to get there,” he said.
In a statement, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said the first presidential debate will be Milwaukee, Wisconsin on August 23.
“The RNC is committed to putting on a fair, neutral, and transparent primary process and the qualifying criteria set forth will put our party and eventual nominee in the best position to take back the White House come November 2024,” she said.
According to the Federal Election Commission, Hutchinson’s campaign has raised about $580,000. The former governor will have until August 21 to submit proof to the RNC that he has met their requirements to be included in the debates.
