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CNN schedules GOP presidential debate in Des Moines ahead of Iowa caucuses

CNN schedules GOP presidential debate in Des Moines ahead of Iowa caucuses
On January 15th, Martin Luther King Junior Day, Iowa Republicans will make their voices heard in the first-in- the-nation caucuses. White House hopefuls aren't the only ones scrambling to prepare. vlog's Ophelie Jacobson shows us how caucus workers are getting ready for the big night. It's crunch time ---- <CLIP 9758 TIME 18:08:26 "WE'VE GOT THE BALLOTS ORDERED, WE'VE GOT ALL THE MATERIALS."> for the first in the nation Iowa caucuses. Kelley Koch is making her final rounds ---- <CLIP 9758 TIME 18:08:36 "THE LAST CHECKLIST FOR ME IS TO VISIT ALL THE SITES."> --- visiting several caucus sites in Dallas County ahead of the big day. We followed her around as she made a list --- <CLIP 9758 TIME 18:10:24 "THIS IS MY PERSONAL CHECKLIST WITH ALL THE SITES."> and checked it twice. <CLIP 9758 TIME 18:11:17 "WE NEED A MIC AS SPEAKER AND OF COURSE THE AMERICAN FLAG."> We started at the RecPlex in West Des Moines. It'll be their first time hosting a caucus. On a regular weeknight --- <NAT OF KIDS> kids are playing soccer. But on January 15th ---- <CLIP 9758 TIME 18:05:21 "EVERYONE WILL WALK IN THROUGH HERE AND THEN THEY'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE A CAUCUS."> central Iowans will be picking who they want to be the next president. Koch says she's expecting 1,500 to 2,000 people at this location ALONE. It'll be the biggest location in the county, hosting three precincts. <CLIP 9758 TIME 18:07:51 "IT'LL BE GOOD. VERY EXCITING."> We then headed to Eason Elementary School in Waukee. <CLIP 9772 TIME 18:54:36 "WE ARE GOING TO BE CAUCUSING CLIVE 7 AND WAUKEE SEVEN."> Koch says they chose this location because of its geography. It's in the middle of a residential neighborhood and it's a place many people know. <CLIP 9772 TIME 18:59:12 "THIS IS WHERE THE MOMS AND DADS AND THEIR KIDS COME. THEY COME HERE EVERY DAY TO PICK UP THEIR KID."> It's smaller than the RecPlex --- but Koch says this site represents the heart of caucus night. <CLIP 9772 TIME 18:59:27 "THIS IS MORE, IN MY OPINION, A SLICE OF AMERICA."> We then crossed into Polk County and met up with Will Rogers, who's a caucus site captain for Franklin Jr. High. <CLIP 3060 TIME 15:46:26 "WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OVER 1000 PEOPLE HERE AT THIS CAUCUS LOCATION ALONE."> Rogers knows just how much work goes into planning a caucus. He's the former chair of the Polk County G-O-P. He showed us around this auditorium that can fit 5,000. <CLIP 3061 TIME 15:54:55 "A MICROPHONE UP HERE AND THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE OR SURROGATES THAT WILL BE SPEAKING FROM UP HERE AS WELL."> Rogers expects there to be more than 1,000 people here on caucus night --- divided into five precincts. <CLIP 3061 TIME 15:56:02 "WE'RE GOING TO BREAK UP. YOU KNOW, SECTION A OVER HERE WILL BE LIKE A THAT'LL BE FOR DES MOINES FIVE."> He says this location works well because of the size and parking. And he's excited to see this space filled --- <CLIP 3064 TIME 16:00:30 "PEOPLE JUST SHOW UP AND PARTICIPATE AND HAVE A GREAT TIME AND LET THEIR VOICES BE HEARD.">
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CNN schedules GOP presidential debate in Des Moines ahead of Iowa caucuses
Two Republican presidential primary debates have been scheduled in Iowa and New Hampshire this month, not long before each state’s GOP nominating contest.Video above: Recapping the 4th GOP presidential primary debateCNN will host a Jan. 10 debate at Drake University in Des Moines, five days before the state’s first-in-the-nation caucuses, and a Jan. 21 debate at St. Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire, two days before that state’s leadoff primary. Video above: An inside look at the different places thousands of Iowans will meet for the 2024 caucusesKeith Schipper, the Republican National Committee’s communications director, posted on X that the CNN events “are not RNC-sanctioned debates.” According to a person familiar with the plans, the RNC’s Debates Committee is discussing releasing candidates from prohibitions on participating in debates not approved by the party, but that decision has not yet been made. The person was not authorized to discuss the plans publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.See more coverage ahead of the Iowa caucuses here.The qualifications for candidates to participate in the debates have gotten stricter. To qualify for the Iowa debate, candidates must have registered at least 10% support in three separate polls as of Jan. 2, either nationally or in Iowa, according to CNN.Qualifiers include former president Donald Trump, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.Haley and DeSantis have said they'll participate in the CNN debate, scheduled for 8 p.m. Jan. 10, while Trump participates in a Fox News town hall at the same time.Candidates who finish in one of the top three spots in the Iowa caucuses will be invited to participate in the New Hampshire debate, as well as those who meet CNN’s polling qualifications, which includes a 10% polling threshold in New Hampshire.One of the three polls must be an approved CNN poll from the respective state. Unlike previous debates approved by the RNC, participants are not required to meet fundraising marks from a specific number of donors.The qualifying window for the New Hampshire debate closes on Jan. 16.

Two Republican presidential primary debates have been scheduled in Iowa and New Hampshire this month, not long before each state’s GOP nominating contest.

Video above: Recapping the 4th GOP presidential primary debate

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CNN will host a Jan. 10 debate at Drake University in Des Moines, five days before the state’s first-in-the-nation caucuses, and a Jan. 21 debate at St. Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire, two days before that state’s leadoff primary.

Video above: An inside look at the different places thousands of Iowans will meet for the 2024 caucuses

Keith Schipper, the Republican National Committee’s communications director, posted on X that the CNN events “are not RNC-sanctioned debates.” According to a person familiar with the plans, the RNC’s Debates Committee is discussing releasing candidates from prohibitions on participating in debates not approved by the party, but that decision has not yet been made. The person was not authorized to discuss the plans publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

See more coverage ahead of the Iowa caucuses here.

The qualifications for candidates to participate in the debates have gotten stricter. To qualify for the Iowa debate, candidates must have registered at least 10% support in three separate polls as of Jan. 2, either nationally or in Iowa, according to CNN.

Qualifiers include former president Donald Trump, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Haley and DeSantis have said they'll participate in the CNN debate, scheduled for 8 p.m. Jan. 10, while Trump participates in a Fox News town hall at the same time.

Candidates who finish in one of the top three spots in the Iowa caucuses will be invited to participate in the New Hampshire debate, as well as those who meet CNN’s polling qualifications, which includes a 10% polling threshold in New Hampshire.

One of the three polls must be an approved CNN poll from the respective state. Unlike previous debates approved by the RNC, participants are not required to meet fundraising marks from a specific number of donors.

The qualifying window for the New Hampshire debate closes on Jan. 16.