These Two GOP Candidates Have Been Cut From Main Debate Stage
When the Republican presidential hopefuls take the stage in Milwaukee on Tuesday night for their fourth debate, familiar faces will be missing from the prime-time lineup — Mike Huckabee and Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey.
On Thursday, Fox Business Network, the host of the debate, announced on “Lou Dobbs Tonight” the qualifiers for the main stage, and Mr. Christie and Mr. Huckabee — who had been slipping in recent polls — did not quite make the cut.
Then lineup for the main stage debate will be Donald J. Trump, Ben Carson, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, Jeb Bush, Carly Fiorina, Gov. John R. Kasich of Ohio and Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky.
To qualify for the prime-time debate based on the network’s criteria, candidates needed to score at least 2.5 percent or higher in an average of the four most recent national polls through Nov. 4. Those below the 2.5 percent average in the polls could qualify for the so-called undercard debate, as long as they hit at least 1 percent in at least one of the four most recent national polls.
Dropping off the main stage is a huge blow to Mr. Christie, who has struggled to gain the traction for which he’d hoped ever since announcing his bid, and who saw his “tell it like it is” message inadvertently usurped by Mr. Trump’s freewheeling, tell-it-like-it-is campaign. (Read more from “These Two GOP Candidates Have Been Cut From Main Debate Stage” HERE)
Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.
