A graphical history of GOP primary debates

Fox News has been criticized heavily for allowing only 10 of the 17 major GOP candidates to participate in the primetime debate. To put that in perspective, there has never been a debate with more than 10 candidates. Only four of the 72 debates between 1980-2012 have had 10 candidates before. The last debate with 10 candidates was in June 2007.

The 2016 primary cycle also limits the number of debates. The 2012 cycle had the most debates, with 20, while 2008 had 19. The 12 debates planned for the 2016 cycle are roughly in line with 2000’s 13 debates, while the three cycles preceding that all had fewer than eight debates.

Host States

Thursday is the first time Ohio has hosted a GOP primary debate, despite the Buckeye State’s importance in general elections. Colorado and Wisconsin will also host their first GOP debates before the nomination is decided.

By the end of the 2016 cycle, New Hampshire will have hosted 20 GOP primary debates, followed by Iowa and South Carolina with 12 each. Combined, those three states account for more than half of all the debates. Sixteen states, plus Washington, D.C., have hosted a GOP debate in the past or plan to host one in the future.

Calendar

The primary cycle has seemingly started earlier and earlier, although August is a late start relative to the past two GOP cycles. Historically, January has been the most crowded month for GOP debates. January 2012 was the most crowded month ever, when there were six debates. Only one debate will happen in January 2016.

February will be the most crowded month of the 2016 cycle, with three GOP debates planned. April 23 is the latest a Republican primary debate has ever occurred, between Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush in 1980, the only time the debate cycle has dragged on into April. There have been only three debates in March, and none since 2000, but two debates are planned for March 2016.