JUST IN: CNN to Host Two Republican Debates Next Month In Iowa & New Hampshire
(AP Photo/Ron Harris)
Next year CNN will host two GOP primary debates in Iowa and New Hampshire, just before Republican voters cast their ballots in the first races for the party’s 2024 presidential nomination.
One week before the Iowa Caucus, the network will have the top leading GOP candidates — besides frontrunner Donald Trump, who has thus far refused to participate — square off at Drake University in Des Moines on January 10th. The second debate will take place two days before the primary in New Hampshire at St. Anselm College. CNN plans to air both debates in conjunction with CNN international, CNN Max, and CNN en Español.
For the Iowa debate, CNN requires candidates to receive at least 10% support in three separate national and/or Iowa polls among Republican caucus or primary voters. One of the three polls cited by the candidate must be an approved CNN poll in order to qualify.
Meanwhile, the New Hampshire debate asks that candidates receive the same threshold of polling and at one approved CNN poll of likely New Hampshire GOP primary voters. Candidates must meet the Iowa debate qualifications by January 2; however, the New Hampshire debate closes January 16th with the top three performers in Iowa receiving an invite.
According to the network, in each debate, candidates must also meet the definition of a “natural-born citizen,” as well as age and residential requirements as defined by Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution, file a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission and agree to accept the rules and format of the debate.
To determine polling eligibility in Iowa, only polling data collected from surveys that began no earlier than October 15, and released no later than 12:05 p.m. ET on January 2, will be considered.
Trump, who leads holds a commanding lead over the Republican field by more than 40 points, has not participated at any of the GOP primary debates and has instead hosted alternated rallies and speeches.
Candidates such as Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Chris Christie have used Trump’s absence at the debate to pitch themselves as the future of the party.
