--- title: Chris Christie, Mike Huckabee Cut From Fox Business Debate description: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee failed to qualify for the main debate stage next week. canonical: https://time.com/4102117/republican-debate-chris-christie-mike-huckabee/ author: Zeke Miller article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-11-06T00:24:40.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-13T23:14:11.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: Christie, Huckabee Cut From Fox Business Main Debate og:description: They didn't meet polling thresholds. og:url: https://time.com/4102117/republican-debate-chris-christie-mike-huckabee/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcb635ebfa14bc66c/69886fd80b72e31ac56e6b08/chris-christie-debate.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 594 og:image:height: 334 og:image:alt: The Republican Presidential Debate: Your Money, Your Vote -- Pictured: Chris Christie participates in CNBC's "Your Money, Your Vote: The Republican Presidential Debate" live from the University of Colorado Boulder in Boulder, Colorado Wednesday, October og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Christie, Huckabee Cut From Fox Business Main Debate twitter:description: They didn't meet polling thresholds. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcb635ebfa14bc66c/69886fd80b72e31ac56e6b08/chris-christie-debate.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Christie, Huckabee Cut From Fox Business Debate Main Stage > Sponsored content. 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It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=77960283-cb86-4ae1-a572-f4f72186d5bc&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Monday to Saturday (3x per week) | TIME, August 2026 | | Subscribers | 85,000 | TIME, August 2026 | | Open rate | 37.0% | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Philip Elliott, Senior Correspondent | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership The policy influence ecosystem. A policy-focused audience spanning government, public affairs, advocacy, law, research, political media, and the institutions that make, interpret and respond to public policy. ### TIME D.C. Brief: key statements * D.C. 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Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. It reaches 85,000 subscribers with a 37.0% open rate as of August 2026. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ## Video: TIME Raw: Chris Christie at Des Moines, Iowa Rally [Watch (HLS stream): TIME Raw: Chris Christie at Des Moines, Iowa Rally](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/YHgzqrPw.m3u8) (0:49)  _Published 2015-11-01. Christie takes a shot at GOP rivals over debate concerns_ by [Zeke Miller](https://time.com/author/zeke-j-miller/) ## Zeke Miller Updated: Dec 13, 2023 11:14 PM UTCPublished: Nov 6, 2015 12:24 AM UTC  Chris Christie participates in the Republican Presidential Debate in Boulder, Colorado on Oct. 28, 2015. Chris Christie participates in the Republican Presidential Debate in Boulder, Colorado on Oct. 28, 2015.CNBC/Getty Images by [Zeke Miller](https://time.com/author/zeke-j-miller/) ## Zeke Miller Updated: Dec 13, 2023 11:14 PM UTCPublished: Nov 6, 2015 12:24 AM UTC New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee failed to qualify for the main debate stage at next week’s Fox Business Network debate in Milwaukee, the network confirmed Thursday, while South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and former New York Gov. George Pataki other candidates will be knocked off the stage from the undercard debate. The cuts reflect the most significant narrowing of the GOP field. Christie and Huckabee failed to average 2.5% in the four most recent national polls used by the network to determine eligibility, while Pataki and Graham didn’t secure at least 1% in any of the four surveys. The four polls used were Fox News, NBC/_Wall Street Journal_, Quinnipiac University, and Investor’s Business Daily. The full lineup for the main stage: Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Rand Paul, and John Kasich. And for the undercard: Christie, Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, and Rick Santorum. The news is a particular blow to Christie, who has seen [renewed interest](http://time.com/4099291/chris-christie-jeb-bush-establishment/) owing to strong debate performances, an emotional viral video about drug treatment policy, and Jeb Bush’s struggles. While Christie’s national numbers have suffered, his approval rating in New Hampshire, the first-in-the-nation primary where he’s pinning all of his hopes, has shown signs of improvement. The exclusion likely spells the end of Pataki’s quixotic campaign, and will likely send Graham—who has been running to advocate for hawkish foreign policy and a spirit of cooperation in Washington—heading for the exits. Graham has just weeks to remove himself from his home state’s primary ballot. The Fox decision comes days after Republican presidential candidates tried and failed to retake control of the debate process from the Republican National Committee over frustrations with the process. Candidates have expressed frustration that national, rather than early state polls, have determined eligibility thus far. Christie sought to downplay the impact of the decision Thursday in New Hampshire. “National polls don’t have much of an affect on the race,” Christie said. “So, you know, what I’m going to continue to do is just be myself. All the things you just are exactly what I’m going to do. Whether that’s one stage in Milwaukee or a different stage in Milwaukee … I’ll debate wherever they want to debate on whatever the important issues I think there are for the country. So, I look at the progress we’ve made in Iowa and the progress we’ve made in New Hampshire and say those are the people who are really paying attention right now — we’re doing really well with those folks. An aide to Christie said that while they weren’t thrilled with the development, it could be an opportunity for him to speak more by participating in an hour-long event with four other candidates. Christie also responded to the news in a tweet: > [](https://twitter.com/ChrisChristie/status/662420292241895424) “It is ironic that the only veteran in the race is going to be denied a voice the day before Veterans Day,” said Graham’s campaign manager, Christian Ferry. “In the end, the biggest loser tonight is the American people and the Republican Presidential primary process that has been hijacked by news outlets.” **Read Next:** [_Chris Christie Seeks Comeback As Jeb Bush Slides_](http://time.com/4099291/chris-christie-jeb-bush-establishment/) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4102117/republican-debate-chris-christie-mike-huckabee/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4102117/republican-debate-chris-christie-mike-huckabee/"},"headline":"Christie, Huckabee Cut From Fox Business Debate Main Stage","datePublished":"2015-11-06T00:24:40.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-13T23:14:11.000Z","description":"New Jersey Gov. 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