12 NEWS POLITICAL DIRECTOR MATT SMITH IS THERE TONIGHT. DAY ONE OF THE IOWA STATE FAIR COMING TO AN END THIS EVENING. THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES BEGINNING TO DESCEND HERE NOW JUST DAYS FROM THAT FIRST CRITICAL PRIMARY DEBATE IN MILWAUKEE. LET’S GO, GUYS. KEEP MOVING. KEEP WALKING. LET’S GO. FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE, ONE OF THE FIRST TO ARRIVE. I AM HERE TO SEE THE BUTTER COW SPEAKING AT THE ICONIC DES MOINES REGISTER’S POLITICAL SOAPBOX, SIGNIFICANTLY TRAILING IN THE POLLS BEHIND FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, WHO WILL BE HERE SATURDAY AS THE CANDIDATES IN IOWA BEGIN TO FOCUS ON MILWAUKEE. HOW ARE YOU PREPARING FOR THE DEBATE AND HOW WILL YOU CONFRONT TRUMP IF HE’S ON THE STAGE OR IF HE ISN’T? WELL, I COULDN’T BE MORE HAPPY THAT WE’RE GOING TO BE ON THE STAGE IN MILWAUKEE. NOW. ONE OF THE KEY DEBATE CRITERIA TO APPEAR ON STAGE SET BY THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE PLEDGING TO SUPPORT THE EVENTUAL REPUBLICAN NOMINEE, FORMER US AMBASSADOR NIKKI HALEY RELEASING HER SIGNED COPY THURSDAY. HAVE YOU SIGNED THE PLEDGE YET? WHEN WILL YOU DO THAT? WE’LL FINISH UP THE PAPERWORK ON SHOWING UP BEFORE THE 23RD. TRUMP IN AN INTERVIEW SAYING HE WON’T DO IT. THURSDAY, NORTH DAKOTA GOVERNOR DOUG BURGUM, YOU’RE GOING TO SIGN THE PLEDGE. I’VE SIGNED. I’VE SIGNED THE PLEDGE. BURGUM TAKING THE STAGE AFTER SENDING $20 GIFT CARDS TO SUPPORTERS TO REACH 40,000 DONORS. HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT FOR YOU TO MAKE THAT FIRST DEBATE STAGE IN MILWAUKEE? WHAT WAS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. BUT OF COURSE, MAKING THE STAGE, I MEAN, THE RULES, THESE ARE LIKE CLUBHOUSE RULES THAT THE RNC CAME UP WITH IOWA EVER SO CRITICAL AHEAD OF THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION IN MILWAUKEE. THE IOWA CAUCUSES, THE FIRST IN THE NATION JANUARY 15TH, SETTING THE TONE FOR THE PRIMARY SCHEDULE AHEAD A