What to know about competing GOP town halls, debate in Iowa

Republican presidential candidates are set to appear in several competing town halls and debates this month, offering some of the final opportunities to boost their campaigns before voting kicks off in the Iowa caucuses.

The first set of events will take place Thursday. CNN is hosting back-to-back town halls in Des Moines, Iowa, with former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The DeSantis town hall will take place at 9 p.m. EST, moderated by CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins, and the Haley town hall will be at 10 p.m. EST, moderated by anchor Erin Burnett. 

Fox News Channel will host another set of town halls Monday and Tuesday at 6 p.m. EST in Des Moines with Haley and DeSantis. The town halls will focus on women’s issues and be co-moderated by anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum. 

Haley will appear at Fox’s first town hall Monday, followed by DeSantis’s on Tuesday. 

Haley and DeSantis have been battling for months to be the main alternative to former President Trump for the Republican nomination, and will have the chance to face off against each other one-on-one in a debate just days before the caucuses. 

The two are likely to be the only candidates on stage at CNN’s first GOP primary debate in Iowa at 9 p.m. EST on Jan. 10. Both have met the outlet’s requirements for qualifying for the debate, which includes reaching at least 10 percent in three national or Iowa polls, including one CNN Iowa poll. 

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, both of whom have participated in all the previous debates, did not meet CNN’s requirements for participation. 

Trump also qualified but will skip the fifth straight debate, having previously pointed to his significant lead in the polls as reasoning for not needing to participate. He will instead participate in a Fox News town hall in Des Moines taking place at the same time, with Baier and MacCallum co-moderating. 

The network has said the town hall will focus on the “leading issues” facing voters ahead of the Iowa caucuses.

All of this leads up to the Jan. 15 caucuses, the first time that voters will weigh in on the Republican presidential field. The Hawkeye State traditionally has a significant role in narrowing the presidential field and helping determine who will eventually be a party’s nominee.