Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Ronna McDaniel compared the GOP presidential primary to passing the prelims of the Olympics in an interview on Fox News on Wednesday.
“You don't go to the Olympics unless you pass the prelims, right? This is the Olympic stage, the Republican Party primary. And there's going to be criteria that you have to meet to be on that stage,” McDaniel said.
Because of this, the longstanding chair says it is “only natural that the RNC is upping the ante,” a Fox reporter writes.
The first debate will be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on August 23.
For candidates to pass the presidential debate “prelims,” the RNC requires candidates to reach 1% in three national polls.
Fundraising specifications require candidates to receive 40,000 donors to their committee, including 200 donors across 20 U.S. states and territories.
Former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have met both the polling and fundraising requirements, as well as North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
McDaniel is supportive of the RNC “stepping up the criteria.”
“We need to make sure that we are putting in front of the Republican primary voters the candidate who's going to take on [President] Joe Biden,” the Republican chair said.