The will be held in Miami on Nov. 8, a day after several states hold off-year elections, and candidates will be facing the most stringent requirements yet to take part.
Participating candidates must secure 4% of the vote in multiple polls and 70,000 unique donors to earn a spot on the stage, the Republican National Committee said Friday. Party officials did not immediately respond to inquiries about who would moderate the debate.
Details of the gathering come as the broad GOP field prepares for a second primary debate without their current front-runner. Former President , who also last month, plans to meet with current and former union workers in Michigan in the Sept. 27 debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.
The requirements for the third debate will be more challenging to meet than the second. For the second debate, candidates need at least 3% in two national polls or 3% in one national poll as well as two polls from four of the early-voting states 鈥� Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and 麻豆传媒AV Carolina, according to the RNC. The White House hopefuls must also have at least 50,000 unique donors.
The GOP hasn't confirmed the qualified participants for Wednesday's debate, but several campaigns have said they've satisfied the marks, including former Florida Gov. , former 麻豆传媒AV Carolina Gov. , Sen. , former New Jersey Gov. , biotech entrepreneur and former Vice President
North Dakota Gov. and former Arkansas Gov. participated in the first debate, but their attendance for the second is uncertain.
The candidates are arranged on stage based on their order in polls that meet standards set by the RNC, with higher performing candidates being closer to center stage.
Scott, who was second from the right edge of the stage for the first GOP debate last month, has proposed the RNC change how it orders the candidates for next week's debate. In , Scott's campaign argued that, since Iowa鈥檚 caucus is the leadoff to GOP balloting next year, 鈥減olling results from Iowa should be the primary consideration for podium placement at the September debate."
鈥淭he debate committee has had a very thoughtful approach to the entire process, and we continue to welcome input from all candidates, partners and stakeholders," RNC officials said of Scott's proposal. "We look forward to hosting another fair and transparent debate stage in Simi Valley.鈥� ___
Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price in New York and Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix contributed to this report.
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Meg Kinnard can be reached at .
Meg Kinnard, The Associated Press
