CNN will host two more Republican primary debates in January

CNN reported Thursday that the network will air two more Republican primary debates, in Iowa and New Hampshire, ahead of the first caucuses and primaries early next year. The announcement comes as the Republican National Committee is mulling a rule change that would exempt GOP candidates from participating only in RNC-sanctioned debates.

Republican National Committee spokesman Keith Schipper made it clear Thursday that the two CNN meetings “are not RNC-sanctioned debates.” While former President Donald Trump is still not expected to appear, at least two Republican presidential candidates have already expressed interest in attending. “Looking forward to the Iowa debate,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tweeted shortly after CNN’s announcement was made.

A spokesman for Vivek Ramaswamy told DailyMail.com that the 38-year-old entrepreneur is “ready for it.” Exempting candidates from participating only in RNC-sanctioned debates could create a number of opportunities for the 2024 presidential candidates to debate each other as primary voting begins Jan. 15 in the Iowa caucuses.

The New Hampshire Republican Party was already preparing its own backup plan in case there were no sanctioned debates scheduled before the Granite State primary, The Messenger reported Tuesday. “If the rules are suspended because the RNC is done holding debates, then we will hold them,” Chris Ager, chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party, told The Messenger, adding that he is “very confident” that the state’s ABC affiliate, WMUR-TV will become a television partner.

A spokesman for the New Hampshire Republican Party did not respond to a request for comment on whether those plans were continuing after CNN announced the debate. Campaign officials for Nikki Haley, a former U.N. ambassador and governor of South Carolina, and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie did not immediately respond to requests for comment on whether they would participate.

The CNN Iowa debate is scheduled for Jan. 10 at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. The New Hampshire debate is scheduled for January 21 at St. Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire, two days before the state’s first Republican primary. To qualify for the Iowa debate, candidates must receive at least 10 percent support in three separate polls of Republican voters nationally and/or in Iowa that meet network standards. One of those polls should be a CNN-approved poll of likely Republican caucus-goers in Iowa.

If current polling trends continue, the only candidates averaging more than 10 percent in Iowa and nationwide will be Trump, DeSantis and Haley. To earn a spot on the New Hampshire debate stage, candidates must also receive more than 10 percent of the vote in three New Hampshire or national polls that meet CNN standards and, again, one of the polls must be a verified CNN poll likely Republican Primary voters in New Hampshire. In addition, the top three finishers in Iowa will be invited to participate.

According to the Real Clear Politics polling average, DeSantis’ support has dipped below 10 percent in New Hampshire, while Christie’s average support is now 11.3 percent. Ramaswamy’s poll results in both the top states are in single digits. Voting deadlines for the two debates will be Jan. 2 and Jan. 16, respectively.

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