CNBC announced on Wednesday its criteria for participation in the third Republican presidential debate, which will be held at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colo., on Oct. 28.
To make its main debate stage, held at 8:00 pm ET, Republican candidates must stand at an average of 2.5% in the national polls by NBC News, ABC News, CBS, CNN, Fox News and Bloomberg – released from Sept. 17 to Oct. 21.
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To make its undercard debate held at 6:00 pm ET, Republican candidates must be at least 1% in any one of these polls.
Based only on this week’s NBC News/WSJ poll, nine Republicans would make the main debate stage: Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, Carly Fiorina, Jeb Bush, John Kasich, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Chris Christie.
Three would make the undercard debate: Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum and Bobby Jindal.
And Lindsey Graham, George Pataki and Jim Gilmore wouldn’t qualify for either.
“We have the most diverse and experienced field of candidates in history and we applaud CNBC’s efforts to ensure that all of our top candidates will have an opportunity to share their views with the American people,” said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said Wednesday regarding CNBC's decision.
