Michigan businessman Perry Johnson appears to have qualified for the first GOP presidential primary debate, according to new polls released on Friday. Johnson is the ninth candidate who has met the Republican National Committee’s requirements to qualify for the debate, which is set to take place on Wednesday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Johnson’s qualification is based on his performance in recent polls. He registered at 1% in a new national poll from Victory Insights and at 1% and nearly 2% in polls of Iowa and New Hampshire, respectively, from the Trafalgar Group. Another national Trafalgar poll released on Thursday also found Johnson at 1%.
“When I get to that debate stage, I will tell the American people about my plan and what we’ll do to save our country and rescue the American dream,” Johnson said in a statement.
In addition to meeting polling thresholds, the RNC also required candidates to pledge their support for the party’s eventual nominee and gather campaign donations from at least 40,000 individual donors. Johnson announced earlier this month that he had met the donor requirement.
Johnson has emphasized his business experience in his campaign. He previously attempted to run for Michigan governor last year but failed to gather the necessary signatures to qualify for the ballot.
Since launching his presidential run in March, Johnson’s campaign has spent $2.9 million on ads, making it the third-highest spender behind Sen. Tim Scott and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. Johnson has largely self-funded his bid, loaning his campaign $8.4 million so far.
The other eight candidates who have also appeared to qualify for the first primary debate include Scott, Burgum, former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Overall, Johnson’s qualification for the debate showcases the growing competition within the GOP primary field as candidates vie for the party’s nomination. The debate will provide an important platform for Johnson to present his plan and ideas to the American people, as he aims to save the country and rescue the American dream.
Bridget Bowman, a deputy editor for NBC’s Political Unit, contributed to this report.
Original Story at www.nbcnews.com – 2023-08-18 19:55:00
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