Fox to Limit First GOP Primary Debate to Top-10 Candidates

Fox to Limit First GOP Primary Debate to Top-10 Candidates http://t.co/OqYyM3YCPA pic.twitter.com/2ea4Im7dro

— Washington DC News (@washdcnews) May 21, 2015

Fox News Channel will limit the first 2016 Republican presidential debate to candidates who place in the top 10 of an average of the five most recent national polls, the cable network said on Wednesday.

The limit will encourage the party’s second-tier candidates to improve their standing ahead of the Aug. 6 debate. Fox hasn’t decided which polls it will use. The network may invite more than 10 candidates, should there be a tie for 10th place.

The rule could exclude as many as eight candidates. Already the party’s long-shot candidates have begun jockeying for inclusion in officially sanctioned debates.

First Republican debate might exclude Carly Fiorina – the only woman in the field – because her poll numbers are t... http://t.co/yL1iyaC5MM

— Tabitha Bliss (@BlissTabitha) May 21, 2015

Ben Carson comes to Carly Fiorina's defense on GOP debate participation http://t.co/EC255E2as4

— Chris (@Chris_1791) May 16, 2015

CNN's GOP debate: One heat for top 10 in polling, one heat for the rest of candidates http://t.co/8fVsbEDv9l pic.twitter.com/zaVxcCo31F

— The Hill (@thehill) May 21, 2015

Which GOP candidates are most likely to be excluded from the 2016 primary debates? http://t.co/QSwnfyghUL

— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) May 21, 2015

Average of 5 polls--Fox, NBC, Quinnipiac, CNN, Monmouth;. 6. M Huckabee 8% 7. B Carson 6.8 8. C Christie 5.4 9. R Perry 3.0 10. D Trump 2.2

— Grover Norquist (@GroverNorquist) May 21, 2015