First Republican presidential debate to feature pro-crypto candidates

Candidates for the Republican nomination for the 2024 United States presidential election who have publicly expressed their support or disdain for certain crypto-related policies will be meeting for a debate for the first time.

At the time of publication, eight Republican candidates are expected to appear in Milwaukee on Aug. 23 in the party’s first debate ahead of the 2024 election season. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, the party frontrunner currently facing multiple criminal indictments related to his alleged role in attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election and other crimes, has publicly stated he will not be appearing with the other candidates.

The Aug. 23 event will be the first time many of the Republican candidates will be in the same room amid a political campaign that has seen them targeting their rivals. Though it’s unclear if cryptocurrencies and blockchain will be mentioned at the debate, some of the candidates have explicitly mentioned plans to include the technology in policies should they win the party nomination and the presidential election.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is trailing by double digits to Trump according to several polls, will be the leading candidate among the eight contenders. In July, the Florida governor

The 2024 elections in the U.S. could change the way the government addresses digital asset policies, with a party shakeup possible in the House of Representatives, Senate and White House. Republicans currently hold a majority in the House, but all 435 seats will be up for election in November 2024. In the Senate, where Democrats have a slim majority, 34 seats out of 100 will be up for grabs.

In July, Republican lawmakers with the House Financial Services Committee passed two bills aimed at establishing regulatory clarity for crypto firms. The legislation has not been scheduled for a full House vote at the time of publication, but partisan delays could push the bills into the next session of Congress.

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