Iowa GOP debate uncertain as Nikki Haley noncommittal, Christie and Ramaswamy unlikely to qualify

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has not committed to appearing at the final GOP presidential primary debate in Iowa, raising questions as to whether it will happen.

So far, only Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has committed to appearing on the debate stage, while former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy face slim chances of even qualifying. Haley’s current noncommittal stance comes after she bore the brunt of attacks during the third GOP debate last week.

Haley is still calling on former President Donald Trump to participate in the January debate, however.

“When it comes to President Trump as well, I think he’s going to have to get on a debate stage here in Iowa because you’re fighting for Iowans’ votes. I think he’s got to sit there and do the groundwork,” Haley told a local Iowa TV station.

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Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has not committed to appearing at the final GOP presidential primary debate in Iowa, raising questions as to whether it will happen. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

“You can’t have an election and not appear on a debate stage in front of the people who are going to be voting for you,” she added.

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CNN, which is set to host the January debate, is requiring candidates to show three national or Iowa polls with the candidate at 10% or higher. One of the three polls must be an Iowa poll, however. Christie has little chance of meeting that standard, and the closest Ramaswamy has come is 5% support in an Iowa poll by NBC News and the Des Moines Register, according to Axios.

So far, only Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has committed to appearing on the debate stage, while former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy face slim chances of even qualifying. ((Sergio Flores for The Washington Post via Getty Images))

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DeSantis’s campaign took a swing at Haley over being non-committal in a statement to the outlet.

“After that loss, it is no wonder why Haley has failed to confirm she will join Ron DeSantis on the debate stage in Iowa and New Hampshire next month,” spokesman Bryan Griffin said.

Haley continues to press Trump to attend a GOP debate, especially in Iowa. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Haley spokeswoman Olivia Perez-Cubas said the candidate would be “debating in Iowa,” but made no specific commitments.

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“Since the RNC pulled out of the debates, many new offers have come in. We look forward to debating in Iowa and continuing to show voters why Nikki is the best candidate to retire Joe Biden and save our country. That debate should include Donald Trump,” Perez-Cubas said.