Republican presidential candidates will enjoy one of two final chances Thursday evening to dominate a debate before the Iowa caucuses open Feb. 1.
As the previous five debates have demonstrated, candidates who speak up the most during a debate can move the needle in their favor. While there are countless factors that determine whether a contender moves up or down in the polls, a set of strong debate performances can provide the springboard a candidate needs to jump ahead in a crowded primary field.
Perhaps no one has demonstrated that phenomenon better than Sen. Ted Cruz, whose leading presence in the Las Vegas debate Dec. 14 coincided roughly with a surge in Iowa and national polls.
Cruz took up the greatest share of the airtime in the fifth debate, according to data compiled by the Washington Examiner‘s Jason Russell, even though the stage at that event in Las Vegas was more crowded than the debate in Milwaukee.
RCP Poll Average for Ted Cruz InsideGov
Ben Carson, on the other hand, has stayed mostly quiet in a series of debates that many have seen as contributing factors to his slow decline in primary polls.
RCP Poll Average for Ben Carson InsideGov
The format of such debates has showcased Carson’s shaky grasp of foreign policy, among other issues.
Observers have noted the smaller size of the debate Thursday evening, which was whittled down to seven candidates by host Fox Business, will raise the stakes for candidates who need to take up a greater share of airtime in order to cement their place in the top tier.
