GOP Debate Stage Set to Shrink in Upcoming Week
The GOP debate stage is set to shrink next week as two Republican hopefuls, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, have yet to meet the polling requirements needed to qualify. If they don't qualify, only six Republicans will be on the debate stage. Meanwhile, the recent prisoner swap with Iran, in which five American prisoners were freed in exchange for $6 billion in oil revenues, has drawn criticism from Republicans who argue it encourages Iran to imprison more Americans. Former President Donald Trump's comments on abortion have sparked pushback from some of his rivals for the GOP nomination, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warning that Trump's pledge to find consensus on the issue could lead to selling out abortion-rights opponents.