Which Republicans Have Pledged to Support Their Nominee

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To participate in the first Republican presidential debate on August 23, candidates must meet challenging new criteria, including having at least 40,000 donors and voter support of at least 1 percent in three approved polls. But the requirement that causes the most concern is a commitment to support the would-be nominee.

Candidates will send the pledge only after meeting other qualifications, according to a person familiar with the process, and will have up to 48 hours before the debate to meet those criteria, giving them until the last minute to decide. Here’s what they said:

Donald J. Trump

Not clear. Former President Donald J. Trump has not said whether he will sign the pledge.

In February, he refused to endorse the would-be nominee, telling conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, It has to depend on who the nominee is. But that was before the Republican National Committee made the pledge a debate requirement.

Even if he did sign, it would probably mean nothing. He signed the same pledge in 2015 and later repudiated it.

Ron DeSantis

Not clear. Asked last month if he would support Mr. Trump in a general election, Gov. did not give a straight answer. Ron DeSantis of Florida.

Vaguely indicated by Mr. DeSantis that he can promise, saying, You respect the process, and you respect the people’s decisions. But he has no commitment.

Doug Burgum

Yes. Gov. indicated. Doug Burgum of North Dakota that he will sign the pledge.

I will support any Republican candidate in 2024, he told ABC News.

Chris Christie

Mixed messages. Suggested by former Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey that he will sign the pledge: I will do what I have to do to get to that stage, he told CNN.

I take the pledge as seriously as Donald Trump did in 2016, he said, adding that he considered it useless and told the RNC.

Nikki Haley

Yes. Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and former ambassador to the United Nations, pledged to sign the pledge.

Totally irresponsible that Trump, DeSantis, and others would not commit 100% to supporting the Republican nominee, he wrote on Twitter. There is no room for personal vendettas in this fight to save our country.

Will Hurd

Nope. Former Representative Will Hurd of Texas was the only candidate who did not sign the pledge.

I don’t lie to get access to a microphone, he told CNN, adding: I will not support Donald Trump. I recognize the impact this has had on my ability to gain access to the debate stage, but I can’t lie.

Asa Hutchinson

Mixed messages. The former Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas ruled out voting for Mr. Trump if he were convicted of a felony, but he said he would sign the pledge because of confidence that Mr. Trump will not win the primary.

You have to make the commitment based on the fact that we’re not going to nominate Donald Trump and you’re confident in it, he told ABC News.

He asked the RNC to make clear that there is no commitment to support a nominee if they are convicted of espionage or a serious felony. (The RNC said no.) At the same time, he said he would do whatever it takes because the debates are important.

Mike Pence

Mixed messages. Former Vice President Mike Pence initially appeared to commit at a CNN town hall event, saying, I’ve always supported the Republican nominee for president of the United States, and I’ve supported the Republican nominee in 2024.

But he tried to reconcile that with his assertion that anyone who puts themselves above the Constitution, as he said Mr. Trump did, should never be president.

He said that he did not believe that Mr. Trump will win and avoid follow-up questions. I don’t think my old running mate is going to be the Republican nominee for president, and I’m very confident, very confident, that the Republican nominee will be supported, he said, suggesting that he might not be if it were Mr. Trump.

Vivek Ramaswamy

Mixed messages. Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy waffled on the promise.

He said he will arrive in February. But last month, he issued a caveat: If the other candidates in this race make that commitment, I will stand up and be ready, he told Fox News, adding, I’m ready to play ball, but I’m asking others more candidates to play ball too.

Tim Scott

Yes. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina has indicated he will sign.

All the Republican candidates will do better than any Democrat candidate, he told Fox News, while saying he was confident he would win the nomination.

Francis Suarez

Yes. Mayor Francis Suarez of Miami did not vote for Mr. Trump in 2020 but said he would sign the pledge.

I think every single Republican candidate who wants to get on the debate stage has to pledge to support the nominee, and I will do the same, he told ABC News.

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