New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee will not make the next primetime Republican presidential debate hosted by Fox Business Network and the Wall Street Journal Tuesday night.
Christie and Huckabee were on the bubble for the main debate in Milwaukee for some time, but got the bad news Thursday night. Candidates needed 2.5 percent support in four recent national polls determined by the debate’s moderators.
Just eight Republicans made the final cut for the main debate by reaching the 2.5 percent threshold. They are Donald Trump (25.3 percent), Ben Carson (24.5 percent), Marco Rubio (11.8 percent), Ted Cruz (10.0 percent), Jeb Bush (5.5 percent), Carly Fiorina (3.0 percent), John Kasich (2.8 percent), and Rand Paul, who just barely made it with 2.5 percent.
The debate rules also pushed two candidates out of the undercard debate. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and former New York Gov. George Pataki have been cut from that junior debate, as they failed to register at least 1 percent in those polls. Graham and Pataki are 12th and 14th in the Examiner’s power rankings, respectively.
Both Graham and Pataki said the decision was unfair.
“It is ironic that the only veteran in the race is going to be denied a voice the day before Veterans Day,” Graham’s campaign said. “In the end, the biggest loser tonight is the American people and the Republican Presidential primary process that has been hijacked by news outlets.”
Pataki tweeted that the debate rules were turning the election process into a reality show:
Running for the most important leadership position in the world shouldn’t be reduced to the level of American Idol or Survivor. #GOPDebate
— George E. Pataki (@GovernorPataki) November 6, 2015
Christie and Huckabee will now presumably participate in the undercard debate, which will also include Bobby Jindal and Rick Santorum.
The debates will be held Nov. 10 at 9 p.m. EST.
