A rule tweak could dramatically shake up the next GOP debate
Thomson Reuters
Fox Business, which is hosting the January 14 GOP debates in South Carolina, announced a tweak in qualification rules that could limit the candidates on the main stage.
The network will host two debates - an earlier, "undercard" forum for lower-tier candidates, and a later, prime-time debate for the top-tier contenders.
To qualify for the prime-time debate, a candidate must do one of three things:
- Place in the top six nationally, based on an average of the five most recent national polls recognized by Fox News.
- Place in the top five in Iowa, the first-caucus state, based on an average of the five most recent Iowa state polls recognized by Fox News.
- Place in the top five in New Hampshire, the first-primary state, based on an average of the five most recent New Hampshire state polls recognized by Fox News.
To qualify for the lower-tier debate, candidates must register at least 1% support in one of the five most-recent national polls. The network will factor in polls conducted and released prior to January 11 at 6 p.m. ET.
According to the Real Clear Politics average of national polls and surveys in Iowa and New Hampshire, just six GOP candidates would currently qualify for the prime-time event: real-estate tycoon Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida), retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R).
Other contenders, such as Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) would be relegated to the "undercard" affair.
Fox Business also hosted a November GOP debate series, which earned the network record ratings of 13.5 million viewers.
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