The stage for the next Republican debate is set - here's who made the cut
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) qualified for the main stage at Fox News' Republican presidential debate on Thursday, along with Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida), former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R), retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R).
Candidates for the main stage needed to be in a top-five standing in an average of five recent state polls in Iowa or New Hampshire or within the top six in an average of five recent national polls.
Fox's lineup also featured another slight tweak for the earlier Republican debate.
Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore (R), who has been shut out of all but one of the previous "undercard" debates, garnered the 1% support in recent Iowa, New Hampshire, or national polls in order to qualify. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R), former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, and former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pennsylvania) also qualified.
Though he remains the Republican front-runner, Trump maintained this week that he isn't sure whether he'll participate due to his ongoing feud with Fox News host Megyn Kelly, who is set to moderate.
On Tuesday, the reality television star tweeted a poll asking his supporters whether he should participate, and said that he may not take part after Fox News released a press release mocking his concerns about Kelly.
"Most likely, I won't be doing the debate" Trump said.
"When I see a press release written by a child, I say 'What do I have to do?'" Trump added. "I don't want to be used.