--- title: Republican Debate: Candidate Biographies description: With 10 candidates on stage at Thursday's debate, here's a refresher on everyone's background. canonical: https://time.com/3986411/republican-debate-candidates/ author: Daniel White article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-08-06T14:57:08.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:43:39.472Z article:section: Politics og:title: Meet the Republican Presidential Candidates Who Will Debate og:description: Here's a quick refresher on each of the 10. og:url: https://time.com/3986411/republican-debate-candidates/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Meet the Republican Presidential Candidates Who Will Debate twitter:description: Here's a quick refresher on each of the 10. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # Meet the Republican Presidential Candidates Who Will Debate > Sponsored content. 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Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. by [Daniel White](https://time.com/author/daniel-white/) ## Daniel White Aug 6, 2015 2:57 PM UTC by [Daniel White](https://time.com/author/daniel-white/) ## Daniel White Aug 6, 2015 2:57 PM UTC With 10 candidates appearing in Thursday’s presidential debate, it could be a little tricky to keep track of all of them, so here’s a quick refresher. ### Donald Trump  Donald Trump fields questions at The Family Leadership Summit at Stephens Auditorium in Ames, Iowa, on July 18, 2015. Scott Olson—Getty Images **Residence:** New York City **Occupation:** Real estate mogul and reality TV show star **Known For:** Making major real estate deals in New York, [unleashing colorful insults](http://time.com/3966291/donald-trump-insult-generator/), [telling people “You’re fired!”](http://time.com/3937403/donald-trump-president-univision-apprentice/) **Net Worth:** [Somewhere between $1.5 billion and $10 billion](http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/08/04/gop-rich-list-how-republican-presidential-candidates-rank-in-terms-of-wealth/) **Twitter Followers:** 3.45 million ([@realDonaldTrump](https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump)) **Percentage Win in Last Election:** Never served in elected office **Representative Quote From Campaign Launch:** “When was the last time anybody saw us beating, let’s say, China in a trade deal? They kill us. I beat China all the time. All the time.” ### Jeb Bush  Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush addresses guests during a town hall style gathering in Gorham, N.H., on July 23, 2015. Charles Krupa—AP **Residence:** Coral Gables, Florida **Occupation:** Former Governor of Florida **Known For:** [Being the son of a president](http://time.com/3985657/jeb-bush-campaign-shirt/), [running the third-largest state](http://time.com/3920589/jeb-bush-campaign-launch/), [being the brother of a president](http://time.com/3858553/jeb-bush-george-siblings/) **Net Worth:** [At least $19 million](http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/08/04/gop-rich-list-how-republican-presidential-candidates-rank-in-terms-of-wealth/) **Twitter Followers:** 242,000 ([@JebBush](https://twitter.com/JebBush)) **Percentage Win in Last Election:** [56%](http://results.elections.myflorida.com/Index.asp?ElectionDate=11/5/2002&DATAMODE=) (2002) **Representative Quote From Campaign Launch:** “There’s no passing off responsibility when you’re a governor, no blending into the legislative crowd or filing an amendment and calling that success.” ### Scott Walker  Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker speaks at a Harley Davidson motorcycle dealership in Las Vegas on July 14, 2015. David Becker—Reuters **Residence:** Wauwatosa, Wisconsin **Occupation:** Governor of Wisconsin **Known For:** [Dropping out of college](http://time.com/3709341/scott-walker-education-2016/), [fighting labor unions](http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2058333,00.html), [surviving a recall](http://swampland.time.com/2012/06/05/uncompromised-why-scott-walker-survived-his-recall/) **Net Worth:** [At least $36,000](http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/08/04/gop-rich-list-how-republican-presidential-candidates-rank-in-terms-of-wealth/) **Twitter Followers:** 170,000 ([@ScottWalker](https://twitter.com/ScottWalker)) **Percentage Win in Last Election:** [52.3%](http://www.gab.wi.gov/sites/default/files/11.4.14%20Summary%20Results-all%20offices.pdf) (2014) **Representative Quote From Campaign Launch:** “If our reforms can work in a blue state like Wisconsin, they can work anywhere in America.” ### Mike Huckabee  Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee speaks in San Diego on July 23, 2015. Denis Poroy—AP **Residence:** Santa Rosa Beach, Florida **Occupation:** Former Governor of Arkansas **Known For:** [Being from Bill Clinton’s hometown](http://www.politico.com/story/2015/05/mike-huckabee-bill-clinton-hope-arkansas-117577.html), [writing books](http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1933816,00.html), [hosting a talk show on Fox](http://time.com/3652893/mike-huckabee-ends-fox-show-to-explore-presidential-run/) **Net Worth:** [At least $7 million](http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/08/04/gop-rich-list-how-republican-presidential-candidates-rank-in-terms-of-wealth/) **Twitter Followers:** 379,000 ([@GovMikeHuckabee](https://twitter.com/GovMikeHuckabee)) **Percentage Win in Last Election:** [53%](http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/elections/historicalElectionResults/Documents/2002%5FGeneral.pdf) (2002) **Representative Quote From Campaign Launch:** “We ought to get our knees every night and thank God we live in a country people are trying to break into, instead of trying to break out of.” ### Ben Carson  Ben Carson speaks at the Freedom Summit in Greenville, S.C., on May 9, 2015. Rainier Ehrhardt—AP **Residence:** Baltimore, Maryland **Occupation:** Retired neurosurgeon **Known For:** [Separating conjoined twins](http://pages.jh.edu/~jhumag/0205web/separate.html), [criticizing President Obama at a prayer breakfast](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2013/02/07/dr%5Fbenjamin%5Fcarson%5Faddresses%5Fnational%5Fprayer%5Fbreakfast%5Fcriticizes%5Fobamacare.html), [direct marketing](http://time.com/23001/conservatives-inc/) **Net Worth:** [Earned between $8.9 and $27 million in a recent 16-month period](http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/06/04/ben-carson-reports-big-earnings-from-books-speeches/) **Twitter Followers:** 397,000 ([@RealBenCarson](https://twitter.com/RealBenCarson)) **Percentage Win in Last Election:** Never served in elected office **Representative Quote From Campaign Launch:** “I’m not a politician. I don’t want to be a politician because politicians do what is politically expedient. I want to do what’s right.” ### Ted Cruz  Senator Ted Cruz speaks during The Family Leadership Summit in Ames, Iowa on July 18, 2015. Daniel Acker—Bloomberg/Getty Images **Residence:** Houston **Occupation:** U.S. Senator from Texas **Known For:** [Being a college debate champion](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/23/us/politics/ted-cruz-honed-political-skills-in-princeton-debate-club.html?%5Fr=0), [arguing nine cases before the Supreme Court](http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/when-ted-cruz-argued-at-scotus-20150323), [spearheading a government shutdown](http://swampland.time.com/2013/10/26/ted-cruz-spins-shutdown-as-a-success/) **Net Worth:** [At least $2.1 million](http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/08/04/gop-rich-list-how-republican-presidential-candidates-rank-in-terms-of-wealth/) **Twitter Followers:** 446,000 ([@tedcruz](https://twitter.com/tedcruz)) **Percentage Win in Last Election:** [56.5%](http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist164%5Fstate.htm) (2012) **Representative Quote From Campaign Launch:** “I believe in the power of millions of courageous conservatives rising up to reignite the promise of America.” ### Marco Rubio  Senator Marco Rubio presides over a hearing of U.S. policy towards Haiti prior to the elections on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 15, 2015. Manuel Balce Ceneta—AP **Residence:** West Miami **Occupation:** U.S. Senator from Florida **Known For:** Serving as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, [defeating former Gov. Charlie Crist](http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2019138%5F2019132%5F2024275,00.html), [co-sponsoring immigration reform](http://swampland.time.com/2013/02/07/immigrant-son/) **Net Worth:** [$443,500](https://www.bostonglobe.com/1969/12/27/candidate-wealth/Qz7YMyLCSNyzpDuvrEnBUO/story.html) **Twitter Followers**: 775,000 ([@marcorubio](https://twitter.com/marcorubio)) **Percentage Win in Last Election:** [48.9%](http://results.elections.myflorida.com/Index.asp?ElectionDate=11/2/2010&DATAMODE=) (2010) **Representative Quote From Campaign Launch:** “We can’t do that by going back to the leaders and ideas of the past. We must change the decisions we are making by changing the people who are making them.” ### Rand Paul  Senator Rand Paul waits to speak at a campaign stop in Brooklyn, Iowa, on July 2, 2015. Charlie Neibergall—AP **Residence:** Bowling Green, Kentucky **Occupation:** U.S. Senator from Kentucky **Known For:** [Being interesting](http://time.com/3512657/rand-paul-reinventions/), [filibustering](http://swampland.time.com/2013/03/06/a-real-live-filibuster/), [following in his father’s footsteps](http://time.com/3661628/ron-paul-rand-2016/) **Net Worth:** [At least $1.3 million](https://www.bostonglobe.com/1969/12/27/candidate-wealth/Qz7YMyLCSNyzpDuvrEnBUO/story.html) **Twitter Followers:** 653,000 ([@RandPaul](https://twitter.com/randpaul)) **Percentage Win in Last Election:** [55.7%](http://elect.ky.gov/SiteCollectionDocuments/Election%20Results/2010-2019/2010/off2010gen.pdf) (2010) **Representative Quote From Campaign Launch:** “We have come to take our country back from the special interests that use Washington as their personal piggy bank, the special interests that are more concerned with their personal welfare than the general welfare.” ### Chris Christie  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie speaks in Trenton, N.J., on June 26, 2015. Julio Cortez—AP **Residence:** Mendham Township, New Jersey **Occupation:** Governor of New Jersey **Known For:** [Arguing with political opponents](http://time.com/3552018/chris-christie-bobby-jindal-bully/), [joking around](http://swampland.time.com/2013/02/05/doughnut-drollery-with-new-jersey-governor-chris-christie/) with [talk show hosts](http://swampland.time.com/2013/06/13/chris-christie-slow-jams-the-news-with-fallon/), [getting in trouble over a bridge closure](http://time.com/3843430/chris-christie-bridge-scandal-david-wildstein/) **Net Worth:** [At least $1.5 million](http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/08/04/gop-rich-list-how-republican-presidential-candidates-rank-in-terms-of-wealth/) **Twitter Followers:** 543,000 ([@GovChristie](https://twitter.com/govchristie)) **Percentage Win in Last Election:** [60.3%](http://nj.gov/state/elections/2013-results/2013-official-general-election-results-governor.pdf) (2013) **Representative Quote From Campaign Launch:** “You’re going to get what I think whether you like it or not or whether it makes you cringe every once and a while or not.” ### John Kasich  Ohio Governor John Kasich gives a speech announcing his 2016 Presidential candidacy at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, on July 21, 2015. Ty Wright—Getty Images **Residence:** Genoa Township, Ohio **Occupation:** Governor of Ohio **Known For:** Spending two decades in the House of Representatives, [winning two terms as governor of a swing state](http://time.com/3965946/john-kasich-republican-president/), [expanding Medicaid under Obamacare](http://time.com/3578286/kasich-ohio-white-house-2016/) **Net Worth:** [At least $9 million](http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/08/04/gop-rich-list-how-republican-presidential-candidates-rank-in-terms-of-wealth/) **Twitter Followers:** 81,700 ([@JohnKasich](https://twitter.com/johnkasich)) **Percentage Win in Last Election:** [63.6%](http://ohioelectionresults.com/documents/Governor/Ohio%20Governor%20County%20Results%202014-1855.pdf) (2014) **Representative Quote From Campaign Launch:** “There are some people just say, oh, well, just work harder or pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I believe in all that. Some people just don’t have the fortune that many of us have. 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