Milwaukee hosting Republican presidential debate in August
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee has been selected to host a Republican presidential debate, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel announced Thursday, Feb. 23 in an email to committee members obtained by FOX6 News.
McDaniel said Milwaukee will host the first primary debate this August, which "will coincide with the RNC Summer Meeting." No other debates have been announced as of now, the email said.
In the coming weeks, the RNC plans to finalize a broader set of criteria for participation, including the requirement that each candidate on stage must pledge to support the Republican Party's eventual nominee.
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In selecting Milwaukee, the RNC is following its recent tradition of hosting its inaugural presidential debate in the city playing host to the national convention the following year. The Republican National Convention is expected to host roughly 45,000 people from July 15-18, 2024.
Three high-profile Republicans have already launched White House bids, but as many as a dozen are ultimately expected to enter the 2024 presidential contest. Already, there are sharp divisions over the future of the party and former President Donald Trump's divisive politics.
The committee is considering between 10 and 12 debates between August and its national convention in the summer of 2024. Republican officials are likely to adopt new criteria for participation, including a new donor threshold to demonstrate broad support among the party’s grassroots in addition to a polling threshold of 1% or 2%.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.