The GOP debate field is set - here's who's in and who's out
On Thursday, Fox Business announced the lineup for the debate, which will be hosted next Tuesday in Wisconsin.
Two GOP heavyweights - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) - fell short of the 2.5% polling average in the four latest national polls needed to qualify, and will not participate in the main stage debate.
The remaining candidates from the previous debate - real-estate mogul Donald Trump, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R), Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina - all qualified.
In addition, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and former New York Gov. George Pataki (R) failed to garner the 1% support in at least one of the latest four national polls needed to participate in the so-called "undercard" debate, which will be broadcast earlier on Tuesday evening on Fox Business.
Christie, Huckabee, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), and former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pennsylvania) qualified for the lower-tier debate.
Christie has started to see his polling numbers rise slightly in New Hampshire, a key early-voting state, but that hasn't yet translated into national momentum. Huckabee's numbers have also fallen steadily since he entered the race earlier this year.