Hutchinson vows to meet ‘whatever is set’ as criteria for first GOP debate

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a GOP presidential candidate, vowed on Friday to meet “whatever is set” as the criteria for making the stage for the Republican debates starting at the end of the summer. 

Hutchinson said in an interview with Fox News on Friday that getting on the debate stage is “very important,” but he takes issue with some of the criteria that the Republican National Committee (RNC) set for candidates to be able to participate in debates — including the fundraising requirements and the loyalty pledge to support the eventual nominee. 

“First of all, I’m going to meet the criteria, whatever is set, to get on the debate stage,” Hutchinson said. “It’s very important.”

He said he would have preferred a pledge to not run as a third-party candidate instead of one to support whoever becomes the Republican nominee for president. 

The RNC announced the criteria for candidates to make the debate stage for the first debates in August on Friday. Candidates must poll at 1 percent at least in three national polls or at 1 percent in two national polls and one state poll from two of the early-voting states, which include Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. 

They must also obtain at least 40,000 unique donors — with at least least 200 unique donors coming from 20 or more states and territories. They also must promise to support the eventual nominee. 

Hutchinson has been a notable critic of the former president and even called on him to drop out of the race after he was indicted in Manhattan on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. A few other potential candidates have also been highly critical of Trump.

The former governor said the 40,000-donor requirement will punish those who are “just building” their campaign or national efforts. He also claimed the threshold would “reflect a comprehensive effort” to bring in online donations, but some candidates might prefer to use other methods to get their message across. 

“So I’m here in Iowa, and I know Iowa does a good job of vetting candidates,” Hutchinson said. “This will probably deprive them of having some candidates on the debate stage.”