The Iowa Republican Presidential Primary debate LIVE: Follow Daily Mail’s coverage of the showdown between Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley face off on CNN after Chris Christie stunned supporters by dropping out
Follow DailyMail.com’s live coverage of the CNN debate between Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley, five days before the Iowa caucuses.
Donald Trump, the front-runner, is skipping the event to hold a town hall with Fox News.
Chris Christie surprised his supporters earlier on Wednesday evening by suspending his campaign.
The former New Jersey governor, languishing in the polls, said he wanted to make sure he did not enable a Trump victory.
He was widely expected to stay in the race until New Hampshire, where he finished in third place.
Monday’s Iowa caucus could be the coldest in history.
The winter conditions have blanketed the state in snow and caused chaos for campaigns as they try to win over vital voters.
Jimmy Centers, a top Republican strategist who is not aligned with any candidate, told DailyMail.com that a campaign with the best ground game has the advantage.
Centers said Iowans were strong types who took their responsibilities seriously and gathered in all weathers.
“But a robust organization can ensure that no matter the weather forecast, your supporters still come and get all the support they need to get to caucus on a cold January evening,” he said.
That gives Trump an advantage, he added, just ahead of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“DeSantis has built a very strong organization, with caucus location captains for every location in the state,” said Centers, former communications director for Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds.
“In any other year, that would be the gold standard for a caucus organization. Former President Trump’s team has the advantage of working in the state for eight years and building deep, meaningful relationships across the state.”
Monday and Tuesday brought heavy snowfall to the state, upending travel plans and forcing campaigns to cancel events.
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was caught on a hot mic talking trash about 2024 Florida Governor and UN Ambassador hopeful Ron DeSantis. Nikki Haley just before she dropped out of the presidential race on Wednesday night.
At a town hall in New Hampshire, Christie told an audience that “it is clear to me that there is no path” to the Republican nomination, “and therefore I am suspending my campaign for president of the United States.”
The livestream on his campaign website included a conversation Christie had backstage before his dramatic announcement.
Christie is heard saying that Haley spent $68 million on her campaign, while DeSantis spent $59, while the former New Jersey governor just spent $12 million, noting that he was the one “punching above their weight.”
“And she’s going to get smoked, and you and I both know this, she’s not against this,” Christie can be heard saying about Haley.
He also revealed that DeSantis called him “petrified.”
Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis make one of their final pitches to Iowa caucus voters
Good evening from the DailyMail.com political team on a dramatic night in the Republican presidential race.
Rivals Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis will face off in a debate on CNN at 9 p.m. in the battle to close the gap with front-runner Donald Trump.
They were making their final preparations when Chris Christie stunningly announced he would suspend his campaign.
He dropped out two weeks before the New Hampshire primary, where he finished in third place in the polls.
Donald Trump is skipping the CNN debate – even though he was invited – and will participate in a town hall on Fox News.
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