Former US vice president Mike Pence has qualified for the first Republican debate of the 2024 US presidential campaign, his campaign team has said.
The debate is due to take place in Milwaukee on August 23rd.
Mr Pence had initially appeared to be at risk of not making the debate, which is only open to those who have garnered the support of 40,000 individual donors.
The Pence campaign said it told Fox News, which is hosting the debate, on Monday that it had met the target.
Mr Pence is stuck in single digits in opinion polls, far behind former US president Donald Trump, who has said he plans to skip the debate.
"Mike Pence made quick and easy work of the donor threshold and he's looking forward to a substantive debate," spokesperson Devin O'Malley said in a statement.
"Hopefully, former President Trump has the courage to show up."
As well as Mr Trump, Mr Pence and Florida governor Ron DeSantis, at least five other candidates appeared to be on track to qualify.
They include former US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, North Dakota governor Doug Burgum, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, US senator Tim Scott and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
