Third Republican debate reportedly in Miami, not Alabama

Third Republican debate reportedly in Miami, not Alabama

While two Republican presidential candidates hinted that the third Republican debate would be held in Alabama, the Republican National Committee reportedly decided Miami will host the event.

Both former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and ex-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie suggested that Alabama would host the debate, with Christie going as far as saying the candidates would be debating in Tuscaloosa.

“First debate’s August in Wisconsin. Second debate’s September at the Reagan Library. Third debate’s October in Alabama – by October, you’re going to see a totally different ball game,” Haley, who also served as President Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations, said during a July campaign stop in New Hampshire.

Christie also floated the possibility that Alabama would host the third debate, adding that Trump would likely attend a Tuscaloosa debate. Trump skipped the first debate in Milwaukee.

“I would keep my eye on the debate in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in October,” Christie, the former New Jersey governor, said during an appearance Tuesday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

“At that point, he will have lost even more ground in the polls in my view,” Christie said. “And you know that is all Donald Trump cares about is looking at the latest poll that he can see and determining his conduct, not by what is right or fair for the Republican voters, but what he perceives to his personal interest.”

Multiple media reports, citing unnamed sources familiar with the event, said the RNC decided Miami will host the debate.

The RNC has not made any public announcements regarding the third debate.