Carly Fiorina will stand on the main stage at the next Republican debate, and she says it's not because of "affirmative action," according to the Daily Mail.
"I earned this place by virtue of my position in the polls," said Fiorina, the only female candidate on the Republican side. "I have never made gender an issue in this campaign; I'm not running because I'm a woman."
Current polls show Fiorina in seventh place among the 17 Republican primary presidential candidates. She appeared in the first Republican pre-debate on Fox News, but was not on the main stage.
The next Republican debate, scheduled for Sept. 16, is being held in Simi Valley, Nev., and will be broadcast by CNN. The main debate will feature candidates in the top 10, using polling data from July 16 to Sept. 10 or Aug. 7 to Sept. 10. The rest of the field of candidates will appear in a pre-debate to air before the main event. The first Republican debate was watched by 24 million viewers, according to the Guardian.
"I think I earned my place on the debate stage, I think I'll earn the nomination and I think I'm qualified to do the job," said Fiorina, according to Politico.
