Tonight the Republican candidates for president will face off again, just ahead of Super Tuesday, in the 10th debate hosted by CNN and Telemundo, in Houston at 8:30 p.m. EST. After Jeb Bush dropped out of the race on Feb. 20, the field was narrowed to just five candidates: front-runner Donald Trump, the slow-surging Marco Rubio, the somewhat slipping Ted Cruz, John Kasich and Ben Carson, according to Politico.
Kasich and Carson are essentially dead in the water as of now, with the former under pressure from RNC leaders to drop out, according to CNN. Carson continues to claim he's in the race for the long haul despite not finishing in a single primary position to legitimize his continued run.
Trump has taken some risks since the last debate, including accusing former President George W. Bush of lying about Iraq's WMDs and lauding Planned Parenthood for doing "wonderful things" – aside from abortion – reported MSNBC. He is coming off wins in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada and is projected to win at least three other states, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, on Super Tuesday (March 1), according to FiveThirtyEight. Trump's goal will probably be to go for the kill and firmly grasp his lead over Cruz and Rubio, who are positioning themselves as an alternative to Trump.
Cruz is in a precarious position heading into his home state's debate. After winning Iowa, Cruz has slid slowly backward, culminated in third-place finishes in both South Carolina and Nevada, CNN reports. On Monday, he let his communications director go after a controversial video was released by the Cruz campaign falsely quoting Rubio. He's projected to win Texas, but he'll need to inspire a surge to convey himself as the best "Trump alternative."
Rubio has surged in recent weeks and has become the establishment and Fox News darling, yet he still cannot overcome Trump. He's projected to win Virginia and needs to step up his efforts on stage Thursday. He hasn't won a state yet and has focused solely on making false claims about Cruz rather than establishing himself as a contender who can run on his record. He's gained a few key endorsements lately, including Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslem, reported The Hill, but he needs to push in front of Trump if he plans to gain the nomination.
What: The 10th GOP debate.
When: The debate is set for 8:30 p.m. EST
Where: The University of Houston's Moores Opera Center.
Who: Moderators include Wolf Blizter as the primary moderator, Hugh Hewitt and Dana Bash of CNN, and Maria Arraras of Telemundo.
Candidates participating
8:30 p.m. debate - Donald Trump will be center stage. To his left: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich. To his right: Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson.
Rules
To qualify, the candidates had to get at least 5 percent support in the Iowa or Nevada caucuses, and South Carolina or New Hampshire primaries.
How To Watch
The debate will be broadcast on CNN, and Telemundo will show it in Spanish. There will be a live stream on CNN's website.
Online: Follow HNGN's President and editorial director Michael Bullerdick (@mbullerdick) for his live tweets during both events!
Bullerdick's Predictions: Cruz, the only legitimate conservative on the panel – and the only candidate who has a chance at beating Trump – will again be Trump and Rubio's targets. Trump is hoping to knock him out on Super Tuesday and finish his run against the weaker Rubio, which explains why he's refrained from directing his cannons at the Florida senator. Trump and Rubio have both had some success smearing Cruz with false allegations, so expect more of the same. It is doubtful the moderators will question Trump about his philosophical flip-flops and convenient campaign conservatism. The same goes for long overdue questioning of Rubio about his decidedly non-conservative support of the TPP. Outcome: Most of the media will declare Trump the debate's winner no matter what happens.
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 the tenth 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
March 3, 2016
Fox News Republican Debate
Aired On: Fox News Channel
Location: Fox Theatre in Detroit, Mich.
Sponsors: Fox News
Candidates: To be determined
March 10, 2016
CNN/Salem Republican Debate
Aired On: CNN
Location: University of Miami, Fla.
Sponsors: CNN, Salem Media Group
Candidates: To be determined
March 21, 2016
Republican Debate
Aired On: To be determined
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Sponsors: To be determined
Candidates: To be determined
