Republican presidential contender Chris Christie is likely to be excluded from the next GOP debate. Republican National Committee (RNC) rules say candidates must reach six percent in two national polls or a national poll and one early voting state to qualify. Christie has only reached or surpassed six percent twice, both times in New Hampshire.
“We believe we’ve made the stage, but you don’t know it until you get it confirmed on Monday,” the former New Jersey Governor said on Thursday, despite analysis to the contrary.
POLITICO tracking suggests only four candidates have beaten the RNC’s thresholds. These are Donald Trump, who is skipping the debates, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, and Vivek Ramaswamy.
The latest polls have Christie at one percent nationally, and four percent in Iowa. He has pitched himself as the anti-Trump candidate, boasting he would win a cage fight with the 45th President.