(NewsNation) — Republican presidential candidate and former Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, joined “The Hill on NewsNation” to discuss the longevity of his campaign, the second GOP debate and the crisis along the Southern border.
Hurd was among the GOP presidential hopefuls who failed to qualify for the first Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee.
Lower-tier Republican presidential candidates are now facing growing hurdles as they seek to reach an even higher threshold to qualify for the second primary debate.
Hurd said his campaign was determined to meet the necessary criteria for participation, underlining its focus on fundraising and polling performance.
“Right now, the focus is making some of those criteria to be on the Republican stage,” he said. “You know, we’re nearing the donor threshold, which we met in the last debate. Now that we have some clarity on how polls are going to be used, and those polling firms actually have some clarity, then we have, we’re gonna focus there.”
At the first GOP debate, rival candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke about sending troops to the Southern border to combat drug trafficking and secure the region.
Hurd acknowledged the urgency of border security but advocated for a cooperative approach with the Mexican government.
“I’m supportive of the military engaging,” he said. “But that’s only in cooperation with the Mexican government.”
Hurd emphasized the significance of working with intelligence agencies and neighboring countries to counteract smuggling and drug trafficking organizations effectively.
“Look, the reason the border hasn’t been secured in 20 years is because our politicians are lying to us about what can be done and how difficult these issues are,” he said.
Hurd discussed a recent episode where Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., appeared to freeze up while taking questions from reporters. The incident sparked a renewed discussion on the age and health of America’s elected officials.
When asked about the potential need for new leadership, he said, “Whether we have new leadership or not is up to the American people.”
Watch the full interview with Will Hurd in the video player at the top of the page.