4 GOP candidates to meet on stage today for fourth presidential debate

Washington — The smallest field of 2024 Republican presidential candidates yet will be debating Wednesday night in one of their last opportunities to address voters in such a forum before the primaries begin. 

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy met the Republican National Committee's tougher qualifications to make the debate stage in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. 

The first three debates have not had much impact on former President Donald Trump's lead in the polls, giving him little incentive to participate. They've also lacked the same level of drama Trump brought to the primary debates in 2016, though there have been some fiery clashes between Haley and Ramaswamy. 

What time is the debate and who's moderating?

NewsNation is hosting the fourth debate, which will have three moderators, including NewsNation's Elizabeth Vargas, former Fox News host Megyn Kelly and the Washington Free Beacon's Eliana Johnson. 

The debate runs from 8-10 p.m. EST. 

How to watch the Republican debate tonight

The debate will air on NewsNation and on Nexstar's broadcast TV network, The CW. It will also be live-streamed on NewsNationNow.com and on Rumble. 

Who is in the Republican debate tonight?

The Republican National Committee announced Monday that four candidates qualified for the debate. 

The candidates had to poll at least 6% in two national polls, or 6% in one national poll and 6% in two polls from separate early states, as well as have a minimum of 80,000 unique donors, with at least 200 from 20 states or territories. The candidates had until Monday night to meet the thresholds. 

Here's who qualified: 

• Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie 
• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
• Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley
• Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina dropped out of the race days after he participated in the last debate. North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum ended his candidacy on Monday, but had not qualified for the last debate. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is still running, also failed to meet the requirements needed to make the stage. 

Is Trump going to be at the debate?

Former President Donald Trump will boycott the debate. He has not attended any of the previous three, citing his lead the polls. 

This time, Trump will not have a public event planned to compete with the debate. Instead he's holding a closed-door campaign fundraiser in Florida.

In:
• Republican Debate

Caitlin Yilek

Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at cbsnews.com and is based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation.

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