In a bid to get on the debate stage this August, Republican presidential candidates are being nothing if not creative. The range of tactics employed underscores how vital it is for candidates to get into the debate in order to make an impression in a crowded field — and just how much former President Donald Trump continues to loom over the contest.
Already, six candidates say they’ve hit some of the criteria needed to qualify. The requirements include having 40,000 unique donors total, as well as 200 unique donors each in at least 20 states to demonstrate grassroots support. Additionally, candidates need to either hit 1 percent in three national polls, or 1 percent in two national polls and 1 percent in two state polls from early states selected by the RNC.
The candidates who’ve cleared some of these hurdles include former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Those who haven’t yet met the necessary donor number, however, are resorting to more unorthodox tactics in order to hit it.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, for example, is giving out $20 Visa and Mastercard gift cards that he’s branded “Biden economic relief” cards to supporters in exchange for $1 donations. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez offered supporters the chance to join a raffle for Inter Miami tickets to see soccer star Lionel Messi’s first game if they donated $1. And a super PAC supporting Suarez — the SOS America PAC — is offering the chance to win one year of free college tuition if people donate $1 to his campaign.
Michigan businessman Perry Johnson has offered T-shirts emblazoned with a message backing former Fox News host Tucker Carlson for a $1 donation. And although Ramaswamy has already reached the donor threshold needed for the debate, he’s trying to incentivize more donations by offering supporters a payout of…
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