DeSantis, Haley qualify for CNN Iowa debate; Trump set for town hall counterprogramming

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley qualified for CNN’s GOP primary debate in Iowa next week, while former President Trump is set to counterprogram the event with a Fox News-hosted town hall. 

The network reported Tuesday that DeSantis, Haley and Trump qualified for CNN’s first GOP debate, which is scheduled for 9 p.m. EST on Jan. 10 in Des Moines, Iowa, though Trump is set to instead participate in a Fox News town hall starting at the same time, the latest instance of the former president snubbing a GOP presidential primary debate. 

Meanwhile, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy failed to meet CNN’s qualifications for the debate, which includes polling at 10 percent in three national or Iowa polls, including one CNN Iowa GOP poll.  

Ramaswamy slammed CNN in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Tuesday, ahead of the network’s announcement of those who had qualified for the debate, criticizing a handful of its anchors and commentators and previewing the GOP debate as “the most boring in modern history.”  

He said he would be holding a counterprogramming event instead with conservative media personality Tim Pool.  

The development comes as Haley has seen momentum in New Hampshire, though Trump still leads her in the Granite State. While DeSantis has poured most of his attention into Iowa, he’s struggled to close the gap against Trump.