Sen. Kelly Ayotte calls on ABC News to let Carly Fiorina debate, Mitt Romney agrees
Fiorina is the only major Republican candidate left out of Saturday’s debate
Carly Fiorina is currently set to be left out of Saturday’s debate in Manchester, New Hampshire. Having fallen out of the top six in national and in-state polls, she would be the only Republican candidate still standing to not be invited.
On Wednesday, the former Hewlett-Packard executive called on the Republican National Committee to get ABC News, the network hosting the event, to change its debate criteria to allow her to participate.
Twenty-four hours later, it looked like Fiorina’s cause had picked up some momentum.
“Carly Fiorina has campaigned hard in New Hampshire to earn support from voters,’’ New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte said in a statement Thursday.
Ayotte, New Hampshire’s top elected Republican, has said she will not endorse a candidate before her state’s February 9 primary.
“ABC News’ decision to exclude her from Saturday’s debate on the eve of our primary, while she is outperforming one of the other debate participants in New Hampshire polls, undermines our role in the primary process, and I urge ABC to allow Ms. Fiorina to participate,’’ Ayotte said.
Republican candidate Ben Carson trails Fiorina in New Hampshire polls and has yet to appear in the state since the Iowa caucuses, yet was invited to Saturday’s debate because of his top-six position in recent national polls.
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A spokesperson for ABC News told Boston.com Thursday that the criteria still stands and the network officially unveiled its Fiorina-less candidate lineup Thursday evening.
By Thursday afternoon, more Republicans jumped on the “Let Fiorina Debate’’ bandwagon, including former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
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