How a Fox News Poll Makes the Difference in CNN Debate

CNN had plans to announce the debate line-up during the State of the Union at 9 a.m. but had delayed the call until the show’s re-run at noon, perhaps to allow for the Sunday morning poll to be released, Mediaite pointed out.

Unless Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, Lindsey Graham and George Pataki come out on stage dressed up as a barbershop quartet and begin singing (with Huckabee on bass) there is absolutely no reason to watch tonight’s debate.

Returning to the prime-time stage is Chris Christie, who did not qualify for the Fox Business prime-time debate last month.

Front-runner Donald Trump will appear at center stage, flanked by retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson and Sen.

This was a debate in which the nine candidates on that main stage pushed and pulled at one another to assert the most aggressive tactics and outward displays and claims of strength. Rand Paul, Florida Sen.

Tuesday’s G.O.P. debate, which will be hosted by CNN at the Venetian, an Italian-themed resort casino in Las Vegas, will be another crowded affair. It will be held in North Charleston, South Carolina, just two days after President Obama’s State of the Union address.

Tuesday’s Republican presidential debate on CNN averaged 18 million viewers, making it the third-most-watched primary debate of all time.

Sens. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio clashed sharply over national security and immigration in Tuesday’s Republican presidential debate, thrusting their evolving feud to the forefront of the GOP race. Candidates must meet one of three criteria in polls conducted between October 29 and December 13 and recognized by CNN: an average of at least 3.5% nationally; at least 4% in Iowa; or at least 4% in New Hampshire. Kasich, Fiorina and Christie made the cut due to their poll numbers in New Hampshire. In New Hampshire and nationwide, Trump still leads.