The 2016 Republican debate season continues Thursday in North Charleston, S.C., with seven candidates appearing in the main debate. Here are a few graphs to put the 2016 debate schedule in context. (Click here for the full debate schedule.)
Debate Participation
Some pundits have heavily criticized the hosting TV networks for not allowing all of the major GOP candidates to participate in their primetime debates. Thursday’s FOX Business debate will have seven candidates on the main stage, the least of any debate so far. On average, GOP debates this cycle have had nine candidates on the main stage. The historical average from 1980 to 2016 is a little more than six per debate.
The 2016 primary cycle has seen a limited number of debates. The 2012 cycle had the most debates, with 20, and 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. From 1980 to 2016, the GOP primaries have averaged 12 debates per cycle.
Host States
Tonight will be the 12th time South Carolina has hosted a GOP primary debate, with the 13th time scheduled for February. Only one prior debate was in Charleston. South Carolina will host its sixth Democratic presidential primary debate on Sunday.
By the end of the 2016 cycle, New Hampshire will have hosted 20 GOP primary debates since 1980, the most of any state. They’re followed by South Carolina with 13 and Iowa with 12. 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 this primary cycle.
Calendar
Each primary cycle seems to start earlier than the last, although August was a late start relative to the past two GOP cycles.
Historically, Republicans have held more primary debates in January than in any other month. January 2012 was the most crowded month ever, with six debates. Only two debates will take place in January 2016. February will be the most crowded month of the 2016 cycle, with three GOP debates planned.
The latest a Republican primary debate has ever occurred is on April 23, when Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush debated in 1980. It was the only time the debate cycle dragged into April. There have been only three debates in March, and none since 2000. But there are two debates planned for March 2016.
Speaking Time
At the last GOP debate, Ted Cruz got the most speaking time for the second consecutive debate, speaking for more than 16 minutes. In past debates, Donald Trump and Carly Fiorina have had the most speaking time.
Cruz got 16 percent of the total speaking time. Donald Trump started slow, but ended in second with more than 13 percent of speaking time. Despite being second in the polls, Ben Carson spoke for just 10.3 minutes, well below the average of 11.4 minutes.
Trump, Cruz and Marco Rubio all spoke for more than their fair share of time — that is, if you believe each candidate deserves equal time.
Jason Russell is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
