Nikki Haley to Participate in CNN Debate in Iowa
GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley has agreed to take part in a debate in Iowa, which will be broadcasted by CNN. The debate is scheduled for Jan. 10, a mere five days before the Iowa Caucus takes place. Ms. Haley expressed her enthusiasm for the upcoming debate, stating, “The first four debates have been great for our campaign and for voters, and we look forward to the fifth in Iowa.”
Ms. Haley also took a swipe at former President Donald Trump, whom she worked under as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, remarking, “As the debate stage continues to shrink, it’s getting harder for Donald Trump to hide.” It is important to note President Trump has not been present at any of the GOP primary debates, despite leading in the polls.
Following a decision made on Dec. 8 by the Republican National Committee to permit its presidential candidates to partake in unsanctioned debates, Nikki Haley and other candidates will participate in the Iowa debate. The decision overturns a previous pledge which prohibited candidates from participating in unsanctioned debates by the RNC.
To be qualified to participate in the Iowa debate at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, candidates must meet diverse criteria, including reaching at least 10 percent in three different Hawkeye State or national polls of GOP voters. Additionally, candidates are required to fulfill specific eligibility requirements, file a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission, and consent to the debate regulations.
Other GOP presidential candidate, Florida Gov. Ron Desantis, also confirmed his attendance at the Iowa debate. In a tweet, he shared, “Looking forward to debating in Iowa!”
Furthermore, CNN will also host another debate in New Hampshire, prior to the first-in-the-nation primary on Jan. 23 at St. Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire. Candidates who seek to participate in this debate must also achieve at least 10 percent in three individual Granite State or national polls of GOP voters, while also meeting other specified criteria.
The forthcoming debates are likely to not involve President Trump, as he has opted out of all debates thus far, and has been openly contemptuous of CNN, referring to it as “fake news.” However, President Trump did participate in a contentious town hall hosted by CNN in June, led by anchor Kaitlan Collins.
While the CNN debates may not feature President Trump, they have already caused a decline in ratings, as the GOP front- runner has not taken part in any of the debates. The most recent debate hosted by NewsNation was the least-watched debate so far in the primary, despite being the most-watched program in the news network’s history, with 1.59 million people tuning in and another 2.62 million watching on the CW, the network’s sister station, according to Nielsen.
The first primary debate, hosted by Fox News, reached over 12.8 million people, while the second debate, conducted on Fox Business Network, was watched by 9.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen.
