USC Professor Weighs in on GOP Debate

[gtxvideo vid=”H8uyZXqH” playlist=”” pid=”rkijshg2″ thumb=”http://player.gtxcel.com/thumbs/H8uyZXqH.jpg” vtitle=”Debate”]

Columbia , S.C. (WOLO) — The stage is set for the 1st Presidential debate Thursday night, where 10 of the 17 candidates vying for the Republican nomination will square off. Among them, front-runner Donald Trump holding a steady lead in the national polls. “The poll numbers aren‘t only good, they‘re phenomenal,” said Donald Trump in an interview with Fox News. However, 7 candidates didn‘t make the cut for the primetime debate, including South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, along with Rick Santorum, whose spokesperson called the process ‘incredibly flawed,’ but Political Science Professor Don Fowler said the way FOX selected the 10 GOP candidates is fairly accurate. “They have used several different polls and when you do that you really do get a pretty good result, even so, I don‘t think it’s down to the decimal,” said Fowler. The seven presidential contenders not in the primetime debate will participate in a second tier debate. Fowler explained that may create some challenges for those candidates down the road. “You have to say something real sensational, either bad or good and have the networks pick it up and repeat what they say,” said Fowler. “That’s the only way because the audience for the 2nd tier debate is going to be much much smaller than for the main debate so a lot of people won‘t see it.” However, Fowler said that challenge isn‘t one that can‘t be hurdled, for instance, he said Lindsey Graham is making his own footprint with memorable statements during other opportunities.