Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will stand center stage at Wednesday night's second GOP presidential nomination debate, according to a lineup released Tuesday by the Republican National Committee and unveiled on the Fox News Channel.
Standing alongside at the debate will be former ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. The debate is being held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California and will be televised on the FOX Business Network (FBN) and UNIVISION from 9-11 p.m. ET.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who's making a second bid for the GOP presidential nomination, and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina will be standing aside Haley and Ramaswamy.
Standing on the wings of the debate stage will be North Dakota Gov Doug Burgum and former Vice President Mike Pence.
THESE SEVEN CANDIDATES QUALIFED FOR THE SECOND GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION SHOWDOWN
An RNC release from early June stated that "qualified candidates will be placed on stage according to polling, with the highest polling candidate in the center."
WHAT'S ON THE LINE FOR EACH OF THE GOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ON THE DEBATE STAGE
To participate in the second debate, candidates needed to reach polling and donor thresholds set by the RNC.
Additionally, candidates were also required to sign a pledge in which they agree to support the eventual Republican presidential nominee. They must agree not to participate in any non-RNC sanctioned debates for the rest of the 2024 election cycle and agree to data-sharing with the national party committee.
Former President Donald Trump, who has reached the donor and polling thresholds, did not sign the RNC's pledge. Pointing to his commanding lead over his rivals for the nomination, the former president did not attend the first debate and is not showing up for the second showdown.
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson was the only candidate who qualified for last month's first debate – which had slightly lower donor and polling thresholds – who failed to make the stage at the second showdown.
Among those who failed to qualify for the second debate — who also did not make the stage for the first debate — are 2022 Michigan gubernatorial candidate, businessman and quality control expert Perry Johnson; former CIA agent and former Rep. Will Hurd of Texas; and Larry Elder, a former nationally syndicated radio host who was a candidate in California's 2021 gubernatorial recall election.
Mayor Francis Suarez of Miami, Florida suspended his campaign after failing to qualify for the first debate.
