"The eight candidates chosen for the main debate by Fox Business' polling criteria were billionaire businessman Donald Trump, who ranked first, followed by retired physician Ben Carson, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, former business executive Carly Fiorina, Ohio Governor John Kasich and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul.
Christie had been on the main stage for the first three televised Republican debates. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee also failed to qualify for the main debate.
Christie and Huckabee will join Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum in the "undercard" debate of lower-polling candidates that precedes the prime-time event.
Three Republican contenders - South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, former New York Governor George Pataki and former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore - failed to qualify for either debate because of low polling numbers."
"According to debate criteria issued by Fox Business last week, candidates must score 2.5 percent or higher in an average of the four most recent major polls conducted through Nov. 4 to be featured in the prime-time debate. They must hit the 1 percent mark to qualify for an undercard debate airing before the main event.
Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry provides a cautionary tale of the potential impact. Fundraising dollars dried up after Perry was relegated to the undercard debate earlier in the year.
Pataki, the former New York governor, and Graham, a South Carolina senator, already faced a tough road to the GOP nomination. Their omission even from the undercard debates will make it even harder for them to convince voters and donors they have a viable path to the nomination.
"It is ironic that the only veteran in the race is going to be denied a voice the day before Veterans Day," Graham campaign manager Christian Ferry said in a statement. "In the end, the biggest loser tonight is the American people and the Republican presidential primary process that has been hijacked by news outlets."
https://www.yahoo.com/news/eight-u-republicans-qualify-next-prime-time-debate-001838430.html
Welcome to the world according to social media and citizens united. This was predicted by the dissenters in that opinion. But it is the law of the land and I will live within it and do what I can to adjust.