MANCHESTER, NH – ABC News has announced the lineup for the debate to be held in Manchester, NH on Saturday, Feb. 6, the 105th birthday of Ronald Reagan – the former president whose name is most often invoked by Republican presidential aspirants, and takes place three days before the state’s pivotal primary.
Airing on ABC at 8PM Eastern Time, World News Tonight anchor David Muir and Martha Raddatz of This Week with George Stephanopoulos will moderate.
The candidates, in order of rank by poll numbers, are: Donald Trump, Senator Ted Cruz (TX), Senator Marco Rubio (FL), Dr. Ben Carson, former Governor Jeb Bush (FL), Governor Chris Christie (NJ), and Governor John Kasich (OH).
ABC stated it “will be hosting the debate with the Independent Journal Review, and in partnership with the Republican National Committee. Additional questions will come from WMUR political director Josh McElveen and conservative journalist Mary Katharine Ham,” and “determined the debate’s participants using a set of criteria established in late January. Candidates had three ways to qualify for the debate..
“Candidates received an invitation to the debate if they:
1) placed among the top three finishers in the Iowa caucuses; OR 2) placed among the top six in an average of national polls; OR 3) placed among the top six in an average of New Hampshire polls.”