Former Vice President Mike Pence has qualified for the first Republican presidential debate later this month in Milwaukee, his campaign announced Tuesday.

Pence becomes the eighth candidate who appears to have met the Republican National Committee’s requirements. On Monday, he crossed the threshold of 40,000 unique donors, according to his campaign.

To qualify for the Aug. 23 Fox News debate, candidates must reach 1% in three national polls or 1% in two national polls and two polls in early-voting states. In addition to collecting donations from 40,000 unique supporters, they must have at least 200 unique donors in 20 or more states or territories. 

Pence’s campaign said he has received at least 200 unique donations in 40 states. He had previously met the polling requirement. 

Candidates have until 48 hours before the debate to qualify. Hopefuls also must sign a pledge that they would support the eventual nominee if they don’t win the nomination.

Seven other candidates previously said they’ve met the criteria: former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, U.S. Sen Tim Scott of South Carolina, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

However, Trump, who has a commanding lead in the polls, has said he might skip the first debate.

“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 campaign spokesman Devin O’Malley said in a statement. “Hopefully, former President Trump has the courage to show up.”

Pence has taken a sharper tone in criticizing Trump, his former boss, since the former president was indicted again last week, this time on federal charges that he conspired to illegally overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. That effort included pressuring Pence to block Congress’ certification of the electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021.

“Today’s indictment serves as an important reminder: anyone who puts himself over the Constitution should never be President of the United States,” Pence said in a statement after the indictment.

While Pence was noticeably absent from the list of qualified candidates the past couple of weeks, his campaign noted that he reached the 40,000-donor mark nine weeks after announcing his candidacy in June, faster than Haley, Ramaswamy and Scott, all of whom joined the race sooner.

His campaign also said Pence met the requirement without using giveaways or “gimmicks” like some other candidates.

Burgum offered $20 Visa or Mastercard gift cards to anyone who donated at least $1 to his campaign, and Ramaswamy is giving supporters 10% commissions on money they raise for his campaign.

Pence spent recent weeks making numerous appeals in television interviews, stump speeches and social media posts for supporters to donate as little as $1 to help him reach the debate stage.

A Morning Consult poll Tuesday showed Pence polling at 6% nationally, fourth in the GOP field behind Trump (59%), DeSantis (16%) and Ramaswamy (8%).

Yet to qualify for the first debate are former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former U.S. Rep. Will Hurd of Texas, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and conservative radio host Larry Elder.