The GOP undercard debate: Do any of these candidates have a chance at the varsity debate?
Rick Perry is out. Carly Fiorina graduated to the primetime debate at 8 p.m., after CNN changed its rules to include an 11th candidate. So that leaves Rick Santorum, Bobby Jindal, Lindsey Graham, and George Pataki at the undercard debate, fighting to creep up the polls enough to get a glimpse of Donald Trump on a debate stage.
Do any of these candidates have a chance? Santorum, who technically presented the strongest challenge to Mitt Romney's primary run in 2012, has the best chance, lurking a percentage point behind Fiorina in CNN's average. But the cold truth is that it will be difficult for any of these candidates to break out of the bottom of the pack, short of revealing the mystery of Trump's hair. Tonight might mark the night that the GOP field was whittled to a more manageable 11.
But at least they'll get one last chance to debate on live television. Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore, who appeared in the last undercard debate, will be live-tweeting this one from his home.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Ryu Spaeth is deputy editor at TheWeek.com. Follow him on Twitter.
-
Joanna Trollope: novelist who had a No. 1 bestseller with The Rector’s WifeIn the Spotlight Trollope found fame with intelligent novels about the dramas and dilemmas of modern women
-
Codeword: December 20, 2025The daily codeword puzzle from The Week
-
Sudoku medium: December 20, 2025The daily medium sudoku puzzle from The Week
-
Trump HHS moves to end care for trans youthSpeed Read The administration is making sweeping proposals that would eliminate gender-affirming care for Americans under age 18
-
Jack Smith tells House of ‘proof’ of Trump’s crimesSpeed Read President Donald Trump ‘engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election,’ hoarded classified documents and ‘repeatedly tried to obstruct justice’
-
House GOP revolt forces vote on ACA subsidiesSpeed Read The new health care bill would lower some costs but not extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies
-
Hegseth rejects release of full boat strike footageSpeed Read There are calls to release video of the military killing two survivors of a Sept. 2 missile strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat
-
Trump vows naval blockade of most Venezuelan oilSpeed Read The announcement further escalates pressure on President Nicolás Maduro
-
Kushner drops Trump hotel project in SerbiaSpeed Read Affinity Partners pulled out of a deal to finance a Trump-branded development in Belgrade
-
Senate votes down ACA subsidies, GOP alternativeSpeed Read The Senate rejected the extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits, guaranteeing a steep rise in health care costs for millions of Americans
-
Abrego García freed from jail on judge’s orderSpeed Read The wrongfully deported man has been released from an ICE detention center