We will make it clear on May 3rd after the deadline for filing paperwork for the debate has passed said South Carolina state Republican partys executive secretary Joel Sawyer about which candidates will be allowed to participate in the first 2012 Republican presidential debate in Greenville S.C. on May 5th.
With only a smattering of candidates meeting the criteria to participate thus far exactly which candidates will actually take part has yet to be determined.
Read the 3 hurdles the state party has imposed to join the debate here.
- First a candidate must have filed the paperwork for a federal exploratory committee a qualification only five or so mainstream candidates meet.
- Second a candidate must also garner at least 1 support in five national polls which would nix a few of those already partially in the ring.
- And finally third a candidate must pay the state party $25000 to register to be on the ballot in South Carolina.
but his spokeswoman says he hasnt decided if hell attend.
Also on the cusp is former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.
Former House speaker Newt Gingrich meanwhile has done fairly well in recent national polls but he has yet to file a formal exploratory committee and wont do so next week. We are on our schedule not theirs said Gingrich spokesman Rick Tyler speaking of the state GOP.
So that leaves as few as three potential debaters:
- Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas)
- former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and
- former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty
Its important that Republicans show up now talk about their records and begin the debate on how best we can defeat this President Pawlenty said.
