Mike Pence has qualified for the first Republican presidential primary debate, passing the 40,000 unique donor threshold to potentially face off with his old boss, Donald Trump. The former vice president has seen a surge in donations since Trump’s third indictment, criticizing the GOP top runner more than ever and even selling hats and t-shirts trolling Trump with a quote from his Jan. 6 indictment. Pence’s campaign team joked last week that the new merch would put them over the donor requirement sooner than expected—and it seems like they weren’t kidding. While Pence joins seven other already-qualified candidates for the debate, it remains a mystery whether Trump will grace the stage in Milwaukee, as he has suggested he may skip out. “Mike Pence made quick and easy work of the donor threshold, and he’s looking forward to a substantive debate about the issues important to the American people,” Pence communications adviser Devin O’Malley told USA Today. “Hopefully, former President Trump has the courage to show up.”
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