UPDATE: As per Sarah Boxer from CBS New Jersey, neither Mitt Romney or Rick Santorum will be participating in the March 1 debate.
UPDATE II: We just got word from Chris Kelleher that it is CONFIRMED Mitt Romney and Ron Paul will not be attending the debate. The Romney campaign told the GA GOP there was a scheduling conflict and Governor Romney cannot attend. No word on why Congressman Paul is not attending. Kelleher explained they have not received word from the Santorum campaign, and as far as the GA GOP is concerned, the debate will go on as scheduled for March 1.
UPDATE III: CNN is cancelling the Super Tuesday debate. In a statement CNN said, “Without full participation of all four candidates, CNN will not move forward with the Super Tuesday debate.”
Erick Erickson created a buzz this afternoon after tweeting former Massachusetts Governor and Presidential hopeful, Mitt Romney, would not be participating in the Georgia Republican Party/CNN debate on March 1.
The Atlanta Journal Consitution picked up on it as well, stating Romney officials told CNN about their decision to bow out earlier today.
Chris Kelleher, from the Georgia Republican Party’s Communications team told us he has heard the same reports, but nothing has been communicated to the GA GOP. And if it’s true? “It’s a shame the votes of Georgia and Ohio, who have the biggest delegations at the convention, won’t get to hear from him,” he said.
Bottom line? “The debate is moving forward and we’re looking forward to it,” Kelleher stated.
