CNN will host two Republican primary debates in January which will be held in Iowa and New Hampshire.
The first CNN debate will be held on Jan. 10, at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, less than a week before the Iowa caucus. The second debate is set for Jan. 21, at St. Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire.
Both debates will air live on CNN, CNN International, CNN en Español and Max.
The qualifications for CNN’s Iowa debate include candidates receiving at least 10% in three separate national and/or Iowa polls of “Republican caucusgoers or primary voters that meet CNN’s standards for reporting.” According to the network, one of the three polls must be an “approved CNN poll of likely Iowa Republican caucusgoers.”
The same qualifications apply to the New Hampshire debate but with the respective state polling.
The window to qualify for the Iowa debate closes on Jan. 2, and Jan. 16 for the New Hampshire debate. According to CNN, those who finish in one of the top three positions in the Iowa caucuses will be automatically invited to participate in the New Hampshire debate.
CNN’s Republican Presidential Debates will stream live on CNN Max and for pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN connected TV and mobile apps. The debates will also be available on-demand beginning Thursday, Jan. 11, and Monday, Jan. 22, to pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN apps and cable operator platforms.
This is the first time during this election cycle that CNN is hosting a GOP primary debate. The first two debates of the season were hosted by Fox networks. The third debate was hosted by NBC News and the fourth was hosted by NewsNation.