CNBC Announces Criteria For Oct. 28 GOP Debate

Republican presidential candidates, from left, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, former New York Gov. George Pataki, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Sen. Te... Republican presidential candidates, from left, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, former New York Gov. George Pataki, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, businessman Donald Trump, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, businesswoman Carly Fiorina, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie take the stage during the CNN Republican presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015, in Simi Valley, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) MORE LESS
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CNBC released its selection criteria Wednesday for its next Republican presidential debate, scheduled for Oct. 28.

As was the case with the first two GOP debates on Fox and CNN, there will be a second tier “undercard” debate after the primetime event.

To appear in the top tier event at 8 p.m., candidates need to get 3 percent average support in polls between Sept. 17 and Oct. 21. The network will round up for any Republican polling at 2.5 percent or higher.

Candidates polling below that threshold will qualify for the 6 p.m. undercard.

CNBC’s John Harwood, Becky Quick, and Carl Quintanilla are set to host, with Rick Santelli, Jim Cramer, and Sharon Epperson on board as “questioners.”

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Notable Replies

  1. CRITERIA! We don’t need no steenkeeng criteria!

  2. 3% cut-off would be pretty meaningful. Just looking at the most recent poll (today’s Suffolk/USA Today) that would mean only 6 candidates on the primetime debate: Trump, Carson, Fiorina, Rubio, Bush & Cruz.

    It would be hard for Rubio’s breakout to not continue standing in that group.

  3. To appear in the top tier event at 8 p.m., candidates need to get 3 percent average support in polls between Sept. 17 and Oct. 21. The network will round up for any Republican polling at 2.5 percent or higher.

    So why not just say “To appear in the top tier event at 8 p.m., candidates need to get 2.5 percent average support”? Isn’t that the reality?

  4. Because reporters can not handle decimals. Its a math thing.

  5. Oops. I saw Christie down right. Thought it was about CNBC’s new cafeteria.
    My bad.

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