The fourth — and likely final — Republican primary debate is just over 24 hours away, and at least three presidential candidates will appear onstage in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Wednesday after meeting the strictest participation requirements yet.
As the Republican hopefuls prepare to face off one last time before the critical Iowa and New Hampshire Caucuses next month, here’s what to know ahead of Thursday night’s debate.
The fourth Republican primary debate will be broadcast live from the University of Alabama at 8 pm EST, with coverage provided exclusively by NewsNation and its subsidiary network, The CW.
`NewsNation, a relative newcomer to the 24-hour broadcast news industry, has built a reputation as a centrist network that avoids the “hyper-partisanship” of its competitors. Its talent lineup on- and off-camera features one-time contributors from both Fox News and CNN, including former news anchor Chris Cuomo.
Wednesday night’s debate is expected to attract the largest audience in NewsNation’s history.
Learn the benefits of becoming a Valuetainment Member and subscribe today!
The panel of debate moderators selected by the Republican National Committee includes NewsNation host Elizabeth Vargas, formerly of ABC News, as well as former Fox and NBC News anchor Megyn Kelly and Washington Free Beacon Editor-in-Chief Eliana Johnson.
In addition to airing on The CW and streaming on NewsNation’s website, the debate will also be available through the Washington Free Beacon, “The Megyn Kelly Show” on Sirius XM, and a stream on Rumble.
The on-stage lineup for the debate will feature the smallest pool of candidates yet after the RNC announced the strictest participation requirements of the election cycle. In order to qualify, candidates needed at least 6 percent support in one approved national poll and two from early-voting states, as well as 80,000 unique donors across 20 states.
Just over 24 hours out from the debate, five candidates have met these requirements: Former President Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.*
The RNC has yet to announce its finalized lineup as of Tuesday morning.
Despite qualifying for the debate and leading the pack by more than 50 points, former President Trump has once again declined to attend the event. Instead of facing off against his distant competitors in Tuscaloosa, Trump will host a private fundraising event in Florida. Unlike his previous counterprogramming efforts to upstage the RNC events, Trump’s Wednesday night “end-of-year reception” will not be broadcast to the public.
Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, who has not appeared onstage since the first debate in Milwaukee, remains in the race despite having little chance of catching up to the competition.
On Monday, two days before the debate, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum suspended his campaign, following in the footsteps of South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, who dropped out shortly after the third debate.
The fourth Republican debate airs live on Wednesday, December 6, from Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Stay tuned to VT.com for debate night highlights and breakdowns, and join the PBD Podcast on Thursday morning for a live analysis.
*This post has been updated since publication to reflect former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s qualification for the debate.*
Add comment