The Impact of Debate Rules on Republican Longshots and Trump's Dominance

Republican presidential candidates are scrambling to secure at least 40,000 donors to qualify for the upcoming debates under the Republican National Committee's new criteria. Candidates must also garner at least 1% in three qualifying polls, two of them national, after July 1. To meet the donor threshold, longshot candidates are offering merchandise in exchange for even the smallest donations, which can be expensive in the short-term. However, the contributions afford them the chance to appear on the debate stage alongside frontrunners including former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis later this summer.