On Saturday night, ABC will host the eighth installment of Republican debates, sponsored by the Independent Journal Review, set to be held at St. Anselm's College in New Hampshire at 8 p.m. This debate will feature seven candidates ahead of the First-In-The-Nation Primary, to be held next Tuesday, Feb. 9. There will be no undercard debate this time around.
This debate will feature a shift in tone from the previous debate, with Sen. Ted Cruz and Sen. Marco Rubio emerging as real close competition to front-runner and first-time politician Donald Trump in the New Hampshire polls, according to Red State. Trump did not participate in the previous debate hosted by Fox News in late January and lost to Cruz in Iowa a few days later, with Rubio jumping into third place behind him. Trump has since taken a slightly calmer tone post-Iowa, implying that the Trump we'll see on Saturday may be different than what we've seen in debates past, noted Newsweek.
With the backing of the establishment Republicans and media outlets like Fox News, momentum is on Rubio's side. For what it's worth, he was also recently endorsed by fellow candidate Rick Santorum, who dropped out of the race shortly after the Iowa caucus. Cruz has held on to second in the polls, and Rubio is fast on his heels, moving into second place in New Hampshire. The most recent national polls from Quinnipiac University actually show a slight dip for Cruz but a huge bump for Rubio, according to The Washington Post.
This debate will also provide Jeb Bush – whose numbers have fluctuated over the course of the election cycle – to show he's still a serious candidate, as well as give Ben Carson an opportunity to bounce back from a lackluster effort in Iowa and limited campaigning in New Hampshire.
What: The eighth Republican presidential debate.
When: Saturday, Feb. 6 at 8 p.m.
Where: St. Anselm College's Institute of Politics in Manchester, N.H.
Who: Moderators include David Muir, anchor of "World News Tonight," and Martha Raddatz, co-anchor of "This Week with George Stephanopoulos."
Candidates participating
8 p.m. debate - Donald Trump will be center stage. To his left: Ted Cruz, Ben Carson and Chris Christie. To his right: Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush and John Kasich.
Rules
The candidates must have placed among the top three in the Iowa caucuses, or have placed in the top six in the national or New Hampshire polls, according to ABC News.
How To Watch
The debate will be aired on ABC, and will be streamed live on ABCNews.go.com.
Online: Follow HNGN's President and Editorial Director Michael Bullerdick (@mbullerdick) for his live tweets during both events!
Bullerdick's Predictions: Following the Iowa Caucus, look for all-out war between the first- and second-tier candidates. Bush and Rubio will go hard at Trump and Cruz, who both fared better when they maintained a truce. Their bickering, with Trump doing everything he can to smear Cruz, has allowed Rubio to gain a foothold in the race. Outcome: Donald will be at his nastiest, Cruz will hold his own despite battles from all sides, and Rubio, the establishment media's flavor of the month, will be declared the winner no matter how he performs.
Drinking games!
After a calculated, deep investigation, we found these sites' drinking games to be most exciting and fun for viewers, regardless of party affiliation. Or if you are solely watching to get drunk.
A word to the wise, though! Know your limit and drink in moderation, because as Surgeon General Vivek Murthy points out, "You simply can't drink every time one of these guys says something silly... It's just a formula for disaster."
This is only the eighth debate of the 2016 presidential cycle. Many more are set to take place. Some have exact dates and sponsors already set, while others are still being planned. Check below to see all of the debates scheduled between now and election day 2016, courtesy of USPresidentialElectionNews.com.
Remaining Debate Schedule
February 13, 2016
CBS News Republican Debate
Aired On: CBS
Location: South Carolina
Sponsors: CBS News
Candidates: To be determined
February 26, 2016
NBC/Telemundo Republican Debate
Aired On: NBC and Telemundo
Location: Texas
Sponsors:NBC/Telemundo, National Review
Candidates: To be determined
March, 2016*
Fox News Republican Debate
Aired On: Fox News Channel
Location: TBD
Sponsors: Fox News
Candidates: To be determined
March 10, 2016
CNN/Salem Republican Debate
Aired On: CNN
Location: Florida
Sponsors: CNN, Salem Media Group
Candidates: To be determined
