The first GOP debate is set to take place on August 23, as candidates continue to battle to see who the republican nominee will be.
As of right now eight candidates have met the requirements to be in the debate. Former Vice President and Indiana Governor Mike Pence was the latest to qualify.
To qualify for the debate, a candidate must poll at least 1% in three national polls, or a mix of two national polls and two polls from early-primary states, according to rules set by the Republican National Committee. Candidates must also receive donations from 40,000 donors, including 200 unique donors in 20 states or more.
The final requirement to make the debate stage is to sign the GOP loyalty pledge. It is a pledge that commits to backing whoever the republican candidate ends up being.
Unsurprisingly, former President Donald Trump is not a fan of this idea. This has upset some republicans. The consensus idea is that any republican is better than Joe Biden, which is true. Trump claims that there are some republican candidates he would not endorse, and that is why he will not sign it.
There could be something deeper at work though.
Can we really put it past Trump to not run as a third-party candidate?
To hear Tony Katz’s thoughts on why former President Donald Trump will not sign the GOP loyalty pledge, click the link below.