New Hampshire debate canceled after Haley said she would only attend if Trump did

A scheduled debate in New Hampshire was canceled Tuesday after former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said she would not attend unless former President Donald Trump or President Joe Biden did.

ABC News and WMUR-TV said they were canceling the debate due to a lack of participants but noted they would continue their regular coverage of the Republican primaries. The debate was previously scheduled for Thursday.

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“Our intent was to host a debate coming out of the Iowa caucuses, but we always knew that would be contingent on the candidates and the outcome of the race,” an ABC News spokesperson said in a statement. “As a result, while our robust election coverage will continue, ABC News and WMUR-TV will not be moving forward with Thursday’s Republican presidential primary debate in New Hampshire.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) confirmed his intention to attend the debate at Saint Anselm College, but Trump and Haley had not responded to the invitation. The debate would have marked the second debate that was not sponsored by the Republican National Committee. Trump has skipped all of the previous debates.

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Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, DeSantis, Haley, and Trump had all qualified for the event, but Christie dropped out of the race last week. Political newcomer Vivek Ramaswamy and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson also dropped out of the race after low performances in the Iowa caucuses.

Trump defeated his opponents in the Iowa caucuses on Monday, and candidates are now preparing for the New Hampshire primaries on Jan. 23. Trump is currently projected to win New Hampshire, and Haley is polling in second. DeSantis is polling in a distant third. 

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