First 2024 GOP presidential primary debate set in Milwaukee

The first 2024 GOP presidential primary debate is set for this August in Milwaukee, the Republican National Committee announced Wednesday.

“I am excited to announce that our first debate in Milwaukee will be in partnership with Fox News, Young America’s Foundation and Rumble,” RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement.

McDaniel told “Fox & Friends” on Wednesday she wants candidates to sign a pledge to support the party’s eventual presidential nominee, but did not say it was a requirement to join the debate, which will be exclusively televised on Fox News and live-streamed on Rumble.

“It’s about beating Joe Biden. It’s about beating what’s happening in this country right now,” she said. “And we can only do that united, so we want every candidate to pledge that heading into this process.”

The Republican National Convention will also take place in Milwaukee the following July, as just a handful of candidates have announced their campaigns.

Former President Donald Trump, who is the current frontrunner, said in November he would seek the Republican nomination, and was followed three months later by former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.

This month, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced he would also seek to become the GOP’s next nominee, and Sen. Tim Scott moved one step closer to a presidential bid with the creation of an exploratory committee.

Longshot Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur who has never held public office, also announced his presidential campaign in February.

“We don’t know how many candidates there’s going to be so that will dictate whether there’s one or two stages,” McDaniel also told Fox hosts. “Right now I don’t see there being two stages, but I could be wrong on that. The field’s forming later than usual.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has edged out Trump in some early polls, has yet to announce his campaign, though he has privately acknowledged his intention to do so.

Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, is also yet to announce a presidential campaign but is widely expected to run — despite a falling out with his former boss over his decision to certify the results of the 2020 election.

More than 51% of voters support a second Trump nomination, while nearly 25% support DeSantis as the eventual nominee, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average.

The average also shows around 5% back Pence, 4% back Haley and less than 1% back Ramaswamy.

McDaniel withdrew the RNC from the Commission on Presidential Debates in April 2022, claiming the organization was biased against Trump.

Among other perceived slights, the commission chose a former intern to Joe Biden, Steve Scully, as a moderator for one of its 2020 debates — which was later cancelled after Trump contracted COVID-19.

The commission also introduced a mute button that was used to silence Trump when he pressed Biden about his son’s overseas business dealings.

YAF president and former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said his organization was “thrilled” to co-host the debate.

“This is a great time to introduce more young Americans to the value of freedom and opportunity for all,” he said in a statement.

Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski said in a statement he was also “thrilled to partner with the RNC” for the debate and hopes the video-sharing website will “be the premier platform for all candidates in the 2024 elections.”

“Rumble’s mission to protect free speech is not just a slogan, it runs through the DNA of our company,” he also said.