NBC News to host third GOP debate

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NBC News will host the third Republican presidential primary debate.

The debate will take place Nov. 8, 2023 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County in Miami. The venue has hosted debates in the past.

The debate will air from 8 to 10 p.m. on NBCUniversal-owned linear channels, streaming and digital platforms, including the networks’ website and Peacock.

NBC and the Republican National Committee have not announced a moderator or format yet.

The number of candidates participating is also not available yet. The RNC has tightened the requirements for polling and fundraising minimums for this debate, however.

It is unlikely that Donald Trump, the current leader for the nomination, will participate. He skipped the first two debates and has voiced his disapproval of the debate formats, moderators and host networks, even with the first two being aired on right-leaning Fox.

In 2022, the RNC pulled out of the Commission on Presidential Debates. That organization typically organizes the presidential and vice presidential debates, but only after primaries, so therefore hasn’t been involved in these recent round of debates.

It’s not clear how or even if candidates will debate after nominations are secured. Such debates would most likely find President Joe Biden against Trump.

Any debate organized outside the CPD would likely need agreement from both candidate’s campaigns on aspects such as moderators, format and rules and it’s unclear if any consensus could be reached between the two sides.

For his part, Trump is probably more unlikely to agree to more restrictive rules. In the past, his campaign has submitted lists of potential moderators it “approved” of, though the CPD was not under any obligation to adhere to it. He and his campaign have also spared over rules about interrupting and real-time fact-checking.

To some, the traditional debate formats organized by the CPD are outdated. Viewership of these events has been on a generally downward trend in past election cycles, though increased exposure on digital platforms has helped boost access to the feeds.

Formats have been accused of being too restrictive and moderators frequently come under fire for perceived favoritism to one candidate and for jumping in to interrupt and fact-check statements — or failing to do so.