Thursday night, Fox News will be holding another critical debate in Iowa that appears to be the final debate of 2011. In addition, it will likely be the last chance for candidates to make their case before the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 3, 2012. In attendance will be the remaining seven Republican presidential hopefuls: Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, and Rick Santorum.
The three Iowa frontrunners, Romney, Gingrich, and the oft-forgotten Paul, are neck-and-neck heading into Thursdays debate. Romney has been fairly steady, and Paul and his loyal supporters have been gathering steam as of late. Meanwhile, Gingrichs popularity took a hit after Saturdays ABC News debate where he found himself under attack from nearly every candidate. If Gingrich has another tough night, look for Bachmann, winner of the Iowa straw poll earlier this year, to fly up the polls as yet another alternative to Romney.
The debate will focus heavily on economic issues and how each candidate plans to attack the issues the U.S. is facing today.
The candidates will face the lights in Sioux City, Iowa at 8 p.m. CT, and can be seen on Fox News and streamed on FoxNews.com.
Scheduled moderators for the debate are Fox News Sundays Chris Wallace, Megyn Kelly anchor of Fox News America Live, and Neil Cavuto who hosts two shows on Fox News. The debate will last for 2 hours, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., and will be followed by Fox News show Hannity who will have a focus group involving pollster Frank Luntz. The Focus Group will give live feedback of the Fox News debate including who they thought were the winners and losers.
GCN Live will post video of the entire debate Friday morning.