The Republican National Committee (RNC) revealed that it would be partnering with several news outlets to host and moderate the fourth 2024 GOP presidential debate.
In a press release issued on Thursday, the RNC revealed it had chosen NewsNation, Sirius XM host, Megyn Kelly from “The Megyn Kelly Show,” the Washington Free Beacon, as well as the online video platform, Rumble, to be partners in the upcoming Republican debate held in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Dec. 6.
“I am thrilled to announce that the RNC has sanctioned the fourth Republican primary debate in Alabama with NewsNation, The Megyn Kelly Show, the Washington Free Beacon, and Rumble as our partners,” RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel wrote in the statement. “With less than a year out from Election Day 2024, the fourth debate stage will showcase our winning Republican agenda against Biden’s record of failure.”
— Eliana Johnson (@elianayjohnson) November 9, 2023
NewsNation will be hosting the debate set to take place at the University of Alabama, according to the outlet.
“All of us at NewsNation are incredibly honored to be hosting a presidential primary debate and to be part of what will be another historic election season,” Sean Compton, Nextstar’s President of Networks said in a press release. “We are also extremely pleased to have the opportunity to introduce more Americans to NewsNation, a 24-hour national news network committed to delivering outstanding journalism and first-rate political coverage and analysis.”
Kelly, a former Fox News host, will be moderating the debate along with NewsNation host Elizabeth Vargas, a Peabody award-winning anchor of “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” and Eliana Johnson, the editor-in-chief of The Washington Free Beacon, a conservative news website.
In her career, Kelly has moderated five Republican primary debates, including the first 2016 GOP primary debate, which received 24 million viewers, according to The Hill.
“The Free Beacon is excited to partner with The Megyn Kelly Show and NewsNation to offer the candidates a debate platform outside of the mainstream media echo chamber and to give Republican primary voters a debate where conservative ideas and values will be the terrain and not the target,” Johnson said in a statement.
The RNC’s announcement comes a week after it revealed new criteria for candidates aiming to qualify for the debate stage. Candidates will need to poll at 6% or higher in two national polls, or at 6% in one early state poll from two separate states such as Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina.
Fox News hosted the first debate, while Fox Business and Univision hosted the second debate. NBC News, the Salem Radio News Network, and the Republican Jewish Coalition hosted the third debate.