Trump, Haley, and DeSantis meet requirements for CNN Iowa debate

Republican Presidential Primary Debate: Trump, Haley, and DeSantis Qualify

Former President Donald Trump, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis qualified for CNN’s January 10 Republican presidential primary debate in Iowa, the network announced Tuesday.

Haley and DeSantis have confirmed their participation in the debate, which will take place at 9 p.m. ET on January 10 at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

This debate, happening just five days before the Iowa caucuses, will be a crucial opportunity for candidates to showcase themselves in front of a national audience before voting begins.

DeSantis’ path to the GOP nomination relies heavily on a strong performance in Iowa’s January 15 caucuses. On the other hand, Haley has gained popularity in New Hampshire, where a strong showing in the January 23 primary could give her a boost before her home state’s February 24 primary.

Trump, who currently leads in the polls and has skipped the first four 2024 GOP primary debates, will participate in a Fox News town hall in Iowa on January 10.

Haley and DeSantis will also appear on CNN for back-to-back town halls on Thursday.

DeSantis has been critical of Trump’s decision to skip the GOP primary debates, stating that Trump avoids answering questions and lacks the necessary dedication to win.

The CNN Iowa debate will be moderated by CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.

Qualification Requirements and Future Debates

In order to qualify for the Iowa debate, candidates must have received at least 10% in three separate national and/or Iowa polls of Republican caucusgoers or primary voters that meet CNN’s reporting standards. One of the three polls must be an approved CNN poll of likely Iowa Republican caucusgoers. The qualifying window for polls to count toward the Iowa debate closed at noon Tuesday.

Three current candidates, namely entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, did not meet the qualification requirements.

CNN will hold a second debate on January 21 in New Hampshire at New England College, ahead of the state’s primary. The location was originally announced as St. Anselm College.

This story has been updated.

CNN’s Kit Maher contributed to this report.

Read More of this Story at www.cnn.com – 2024-01-02 18:22:00