MORRISTOWN, NJ – CNN has announced that former Governor Chris Christie will not participate in the upcoming GOP presidential debate in Iowa, leaving candidates Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley as the sole participants. This decision comes as Christie and Vivek Ramaswamy failed to meet the debate qualification criteria set by CNN.
The criteria for participation required candidates to achieve at least 10% in three separate national polls or polls of Iowa GOP caucusgoers. Christie, who has not actively campaigned in Iowa, expressed a lack of surprise at this outcome on MSNBC, noting his focus has been elsewhere. He mentioned qualifying for both New Hampshire debates scheduled between the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries.
Former President Donald Trump, although invited to the debate, has opted out, continuing his trend of abstaining from debates in this election cycle, despite leading in the polls. The upcoming debate in Iowa is set to be a crucial platform for DeSantis and Haley to present their visions and policies ahead of the primary season.