Despite a last-minute lobbying effort from her fellow Republicans, Carly Fiorina did not make the cut for ABC News’ Saturday debate in Manchester, New Hampshire, the first GOP debate without an undercard contest.
Republicans Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ben Carson, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich were invited to participate in the debate, ABC News announced Thursday.
The Feb. 6 debate, scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET, will be the first GOP contest this cycle without an undercard debate. Fiorina and former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore are the only candidates still in the Republican race who were not invited to participate.
In order to qualify for the debate, candidates needed to place in the top three in the Iowa caucuses, place among the top six in an average of national polls, or poll in the top six in an average of New Hampshire polls, ABC said.
