Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis to debate in Iowa days before first caucus

CLIVE, Iowa, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will be the only two candidates onstage at the Republican presidential debate in Iowa on Wednesday.

The debate at Sheslow Auditorium at Drake University in Des Moines will be the first to feature just two candidates. It begins at 9 p.m. EST, and will air on CNN. The network's Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will moderate.

It will be the final debate before the first-in-the-nation Iowa Caucus on Jan. 15. It is the fifth Republican debate in the Republican primary. The sixth debate is scheduled for Jan. 21 at St. Anselm College in Goffstown, N.H. The New Hampshire primary is on Jan. 23.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who participated in the previous debates, did not meet the polling requirements to participate.

Candidates are required to poll at 10% or better in three national polls or Iowa polls of likely caucus-goers. The deadline to qualify was Jan. 2.

Former President Donald Trump, who has not participated in any of the debates, will appear in a Fox News town hall in Iowa at the same time as the debate, according to Fox. Trump has met the qualifications to participate in each debate.

Haley, DeSantis and Christie have been critical of Trump for not participating in previous debates.

"We are honored to continue playing a central role in the democratic process at Drake University," Marty Martin, president of Drake University, said in a statement. "Des Moines and Drake have long been a hub for political and civic engagement on the national stage, and we are excited to carry on that tradition leading into the 2024 election, inviting our students, our community and thousands of visitors to engage in presidential politics."

This will be Drake University's fifth presidential election cycle in a row hosting a nationally televised debate.