CNN just made a major tweak to the rules for the next Republican debate
In addition to meeting a certain threshold in national polls, candidates can qualify through their standing in polls of either of the first two voting states.
Some Republican critics complained that the four previous debates only used national polling to determine which candidates got to be on the main stage.
For the prime-time December 15 debate, however, the White House hopefuls can qualify either by getting 3.5% in national polls recognized by CNN, or 4% in surveys of either Iowa or New Hampshire.
According to CNN's Mark Preston, nine candidates would currently qualify for the big stage under those rules: real-estate mogul Donald Trump, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R), Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R).
But Paul may need to be worried. The senator is reportedly on the cusp of not making the main event, as he meets the national polling threshold but not the alternative, state-based polling criteria.
Additionally, CNN is keeping the so-called undercard debate for the lower-polling candidates who don't meet that criteria. For those second-tier contenders, they will need to reach 1% in four national or early-state polls recognized by the network.
CNN will only include polls between October 29 and December 13.