Jake Tapper will moderate CNN’s first Republican presidential debate, to be held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Tapper made the announcement this morning on State of the Union, in his debut as host.
The September 16 debate will be divided into two parts–one featuring the top 10 candidates according to public polling, and the other including candidates ranked outside the top ten, but meeting a minimum threshold of 1% in national polls. Tapper will moderate both segments of the debate.
Tapper was widely praised for his work last fall moderating a Florida gubernatorial debate between Democrat Charlie Crist and Republican Governor Rick Scott. In an interview with TVNewser Friday, before he was named moderator for the September debate, Tapper said he’d “be honored” to be chosen for a debate. “If I got an opportunity like that, it would be amazing.”