CNN to Host Dual GOP Presidential Primary Debates for the 2024 Elections
CNN will host two GOP presidential primary debates in 2024, taking place in Iowa and New Hampshire, the first states to hold these crucial contests Gain insights and watch as Republican candidates vie for the nomination on CNN's platform Don't miss the excitement!
CNN announced on Thursday that it will be hosting two Republican presidential primary debates next month in Iowa and New Hampshire, the states that kick off the race for the 2024 GOP nomination. These events will give Republican voters the chance to hear from the leading candidates and their governing philosophies as they prepare to face off against the presumed Democratic presidential nominee, President Joe Biden, in November.
The initial debate is scheduled for January 10 and will be held at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, just a few days before the Iowa caucuses. The second debate is set for January 21 at St. Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire.
To take part in the Iowa debate, candidates must achieve a minimum of 10% in three separate national and/or Iowa polls of Republican caucusgoers or primary voters that meet CNN's reporting standards. Additionally, one of the three polls must be an approved CNN poll of likely Iowa Republican caucusgoers.
Candidates will qualify to participate in the New Hampshire debate by achieving at least 10% in three separate national and/or New Hampshire polls that meet CNN's reporting standards. One of these polls must be a CNN-approved survey of likely New Hampshire Republican primary voters. Additionally, candidates who finish in the top three positions in the Iowa caucuses will automatically receive an invitation to the New Hampshire debate.
The deadline for qualification in the Iowa debate is January 2, while the window for qualifying for the New Hampshire debate ends on January 16.
Candidates in the debate must meet the criteria of being a "natural-born citizen," fulfilling age and residency requirements as specified in Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution, submitting a statement of candidacy to the Federal Election Commission, and agreeing to abide by the rules and format of the debate.
Polling eligibility in Iowa is determined by considering only polling data from surveys that started no earlier than October 15 and were released no later than 12:05 p.m. ET on January 2.
The polling data used for New Hampshire must have been gathered from surveys starting November 1 and published no later than 12:05 p.m. ET on January 16. Decimal polling results will not be rounded in any way.
Former President Donald Trump is in the lead for the Republican presidential nomination, according to national and state polling. However, several Republican candidates are vying to become the alternative to Trump. The Republican National Committee is anticipated to announce this week that they will allow candidates to participate in non-RNC-sanctioned debates, lifting previous restrictions.
Read the full criteria below.
To receive an invitation for the January 10, 2024, CNN Republican Presidential Primary Debate, a candidate must:
- Meet the criteria specified in Article II, Section 1 of the US Constitution
- Submit a Statement of Candidacy to the Federal Election Commission
- Attain a minimum of 10% in three distinct national and/or Iowa polls of Republican caucusgoers or primary voters, adhering to CNN's reporting standards. One of the qualifying polls must be an approved survey of likely Iowa Republican caucusgoers.
- Consent to abide by the rules and structure of the debate.
In order to be considered eligible, only polling data from surveys conducted between October 15, 2023, and released before 12:05 p.m. ET on January 2, 2024, will be taken into account. Poll results with decimal places will not be rounded.
To be invited to the CNN Republican Presidential Primary Debate on January 21, 2024, a candidate must:
- Comply with Article II, Section 1 of the US Constitution
- Submit a Statement of Candidacy to the Federal Election Commission
- Attain a minimum of 10% in three distinct national and/or New Hampshire polls that meet CNN's reporting criteria
- Iowa caucus top three finishers will be invited to the New Hampshire debate
- Accept the debate rules and format
Only polling data collected from surveys that were conducted after November 1, 2023, and released before 12:05 p.m. ET on January 16, 2024, will be used to determine eligibility. Any poll results reported with a decimal place will not be rounded up or down.
The following polls meet CNN's reporting standards and were released during the qualifying period: CNN, CNN/University of New Hampshire, Fox News, Marquette University Law School, Monmouth University, Monmouth University/The Washington Post, NBC News, NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom, and Quinnipiac University.
Other polls that meet CNN's standards for reporting but were not conducted during the qualifying period include: CBS News/YouGov, Marist College, The New York Times/Siena College, the Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post/ABC News. These polls recently surveyed the race for the Republican nomination.
