ABC News and New Hampshire ABC station WMUR-TV are canceling their Republican primary debate set to take place this coming Thursday, Jan. 18.
“Our intent was to host a debate coming out of the Iowa caucuses, but we always knew that would be contingent on the candidates and the outcome of the race,” an ABC News spokesperson said in a statement. “As a result, while our robust election coverage will continue, ABC News and WMUR-TV will not be moving forward with Thursday’s Republican presidential primary debate in New Hampshire.”
David Muir and Linsey Davis were slated to co-moderate the debate, which was going to be ABC News’ first of the 2024 cycle.
The decision comes shortly after a deadline set by ABC News and WMUR for both former President Donald Trump and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley to respond to their respective invitations to the debate by this Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET.
Neither candidate confirmed they would attend.
Four Republicans had already qualified for the debate, Trump and Haley along with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie previously confirmed participation. However, Christie left the race last week.
Earlier on Tuesday, in the wake of Trump winning the Iowa caucuses, Haley said in a statement that she would debate only Trump or President Joe Biden — suggesting she would skip another showdown with DeSantis in New Hampshire ahead of the Granite State’s Jan. 23 primary.
“We’ve had five great debates in this campaign,” said Haley. “Unfortunately, Donald Trump has ducked all of them. He has nowhere left to hide. The next debate I do will either be with Donald Trump or with Joe Biden. I look forward to it.”
Haley’s Tuesday morning statement came after a third-place finish in the 2024 Iowa GOP caucuses where she got 19% of the vote — behind DeSantis’ 21% and Trump’s 51%.