Sen. Rand Paul might not make the cut for the third prime-time Republican presidential debate, CNBC debate criteria released Wednesday shows.
CNBC confirmed Wednesday it will split the field into two tiers for the Oct. 28 debate, disqualifying anyone polling below 2.5 percent in a series of national polls leading up to the debate. Paul’s polling average in the eligible polls so far is just above the floor at 2.75 percent.
Paul has struggled in recent polls, dropping from as high as 11 percent in a May poll to below 5 percent in every September poll so far. He’s polling nationally at an average of 2.3 percent.
“We look forward to seeing Senator Rand Paul on the main stage in Colorado,” a spokesman for Paul’s campaign told The Daily Caller News Foundation.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Gov. Mike Huckabee and Ohio Gov. John Kasich are also hovering around 3 percent nationally, with slightly higher averages in the eligible polls.
CNBC will consider polls from NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, CNN and Bloomberg between Sept. 17 and Oct. 21.
If a candidate doesn’t get 1 percent in those polls, they will also be disqualified from the second-tier debate. Sen. Lindsey Graham has not yet qualified, since he’s so far polled at 0 percent in the eligible polls.
If Graham doesn’t make the cut, that would leave former Sen. Rick Santorum and Gov. Bobby Jindal, and maybe Paul in the second-tier debate.
CNBC anchors John Harwood, Carl Quintanilla and Becky Quick will moderate the debate, which will focus on the health of the economy, jobs, taxes and the deficit.
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