by The Republican presidential primary debate that CNN plans to host in Des Moines next week appears likely to be a one-on-one showdown between Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley, who are fighting to emerge from the state caucuses as the definitive alternative to former President Donald. J. Trump.
Both DeSantis, the governor of Florida, and Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, have little chance of winning the caucuses, given that they trail Trump in polls among Iowans. by more than 30 points on average. But if either of them wants to have even a slim chance of claiming the nomination, that person needs to oust the other from the race, which they could do (or at least take a first step toward doing so) by beating them into second place in the race. classification. Iowa.
Trump did not participate in the official debates sponsored by the Republican National Committee last year and is not expected to participate in the CNN debates. (The Iowa event will be followed by a similar one in New Hampshire.) And no other candidates qualified before Tuesday’s deadline.
Participants needed at least 10 percent support in three national or Iowa polls that met CNN’s criteria, including at least one poll of potential Iowa caucus attendees. businessman Vivek Ramaswamy; former Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, who has largely ignored Iowa in favor of campaigning in New Hampshire; and former Governor Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas fell short of that mark.
In a post on X Saying he would not participate even if he qualified, Ramaswamy expressed anger at CNN for fact-checking the conspiracy theories he advanced during a town hall event last month and for CNN anchors and commentators’ criticism of him. He also blamed the network for rejecting some polls that the Republican National Committee accepted to qualify candidates for its debates.
He said he would instead do a live show with right-wing commentator Tim Pool on January 10, the night of the debate. Trump is scheduled to participate in his own counterprogramming: a town hall event that Fox News announced on Tuesday.
