Haley to participate in CNN debate ahead of Iowa caucus

Nikki Haley announced Friday she plans to participate in CNN’s Jan. 10 Republican presidential debate ahead of the Iowa Caucus, setting up a likely one-on-one matchup between the former South Carolina governor and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

“The first four debates have been great for our campaign and for voters, and we look forward to the fifth in Iowa,” Haley said in a statement released Thursday. “As the debate stage continues to shrink, it’s getting harder for Donald Trump to hide.”

CNN's two planned January debates, Jan. 10 in Iowa and Jan. 21 in New Hampshire, are not sanctioned by the Republican National Committee, which previously exclusively managed debates and candidate forums. The RNC at first threatened to exclude candidates from future official debates if they participated in unsanctioned events but backed away from that policy after the fourth primary debate, opening the door to matchups hosted by networks such as ABC and CNN.

So far, DeSantis is the only other presidential candidate who has qualified for the debate and agreed to participate.

CNN's rules require that candidates earn 10 percent in three national and/or Iowa polls that meet CNN's methodological requirements to secure an invite to the Iowa debate, with one required to be from Iowa. According to POLITICO’s analysis, DeSantis, Haley and former President Donald Trump are eligible for the Iowa debate. The qualifying deadline is Jan. 2.

Haley and DeSantis have increasingly sparred with one another, both on and off the debate stage. DeSantis has brandished Haley an "establishment" candidate who was too friendly with China as South Carolina governor, while Haley's campaign has called DeSantis' attacks "desperate."

Haley has slowly risen in the polls over the course of her campaign, vying with DeSantis for the No. 2 spot behind Trump. The former president has consistently dominated over his rivals in the polls.

Trump has declined to participate in the first four GOP primary debates, citing his wide lead in the polls.