NEW YORK, NY – The Republican National Committee (RNC) confirmed that seven GOP candidates for the 2024 presidential primary will take part in the second debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Former President Donald Trump will again abstain, opting to meet with current and former United Auto Workers (UAW) members in Detroit, Michigan, following their recent strike.

The candidates who met the RNC’s heightened qualifications include Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, conservative businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, former Vice President Mike Pence, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said, “Wednesday’s debate is another opportunity for the RNC to share our diverse candidate field with the American people.” She emphasized that the Republican Party is united in its primary goal of defeating President Biden in the upcoming election.

Notably missing from the lineup is former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who participated in the first debate but did not qualify for the second. Other hopefuls, such as former Texas Rep. Will Hurd, radio host Larry Elder, and businessman Perry Johnson, were also excluded, a decision they previously criticized when left out of the first debate. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez suspended his campaign after failing to make the cut for the first debate.

Continue Reading

New Jersey Supreme Court to Rule on COVID Hazard Pay Dispute for School Workers

Trenton, NJ - The New Jersey Supreme Court is scheduled to issue a decision Wednesday in a closely…

Seaside Heights Once Touted as a Premier Destination for “Girl Watching”

If you've ever wondered what Seaside Heights looked like before Snooki, Karma nightclub, and the famous boardwalk brawls,…

Congress Demands New Jersey Surrender Documents in Non-Citizen Voting Scandal

Trenton, NJ - The Republican chairmen of two House committees have formally demanded records from the New Jersey…

Candidates were required to have reached a unique donor threshold of 50,000, up from 40,000 for the first debate, and garnered at least 3% in two national polls or 3% in one national poll plus two key early primary state polls. Surveys counted toward these metrics needed to be conducted after August 1, include at least 800 likely GOP primary voters, and be unaffiliated with any presidential candidate.

According to RealClearPolitics’ average of polls between September 7 and September 21, Trump leads the GOP field by over 40 points. He’s followed by DeSantis with 13.5%, Ramaswamy with 6.8%, Haley with 5.3%, and Pence with 4.2%.

Fox Business’s Dana Perino and Stuart Varney, along with Univision’s Ilia Calderón, will serve as moderators for the debate.

The RNC also disclosed its criteria for the third debate scheduled for November 8 in Miami, raising the unique donor threshold to 70,000 and requiring a minimum of 4% support in qualifying polls.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.