The Republican National Committee announced the first presidential primary debate will be held in Milwaukee in partnership with Young America’s Foundation.
The RNC believed partnering with the youth-focused conservative organization will assist in its effort to reach young voters ahead of the 2024 presidential election. The debate will be co-hosted by Fox News and livestreamed on Rumble.
"We do want to get our message on these social media platforms and bringing in a group like Young America's Foundation is going to help get those younger voters who get news differently, right?” said RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniels during an April 12 appearance on Fox News. “They use TikTok, Instagram, and we need to get our message to them.”
YAF is led by former governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker.
“We have a unique opportunity to help conservatives reach out to younger [voters] and talk about the value of freedom and opportunity for all,” said Walker in a tweet sharing a clip of McDaniels’ announcement.
The debate will coincide with the RNC summer meeting. The organization has not released the final qualifying criteria candidates will need in order to be permitted to participate in the debate.
Currently, former President Donald Trump, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, and entrepreneur Vikvek Ramaswamy have all formally launched presidential campaigns and are likely to appear at the debate.
Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina may also participate. He announced on April 12 that he has launched an exploratory committee and may enter the race for the Republican primary. Forming an exploratory committee allows a potential candidate to begin fundraising for a political campaign.
Other high-profile Republicans, including former Vice President Mike Pence and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, may also enter the race in the coming months.
The RNC announced in July of 2022 that Milwaukee had been selected as the host city for the party’s 2024 convention.
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley told reporters that the announcement was an economic win for the region as “workers and businesses continue to recover from the devastating economic impacts of the pandemic.”
“We are ready to show the world what Milwaukee has to offer,” Crowley said.
Milwaukee ultimately bested Nashville, which was the other city remaining on the shortlist for potential hosts. The RNC had also considered Salt Lake City and Pittsburgh during earlier rounds of its search.
The Republican Nation Convention will be held from July 15 to July 18, 2024. An estimated 45,000 people are expected to attend the event.
