Tim Scott, Chris Christie and Doug Burgum are still polling in low single digits nationally, while former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson failed to qualify for Wednesday’s debate. Others are on the bubble for the third debate or will face a reckoning when the next fundraising reports are due.
A culling is coming in the Republican primary.
As the GOP field preps for its second debate, it’s hurtling toward a make-or-break point for lower-polling contenders. They are running up against both a third-quarter fundraising deadline — a major gauge of a candidate’s durability — and more stringent requirements to qualify for future debates.