Election 2024 live updates: New Hampshire GOP debates scrapped by CNN and ABC

Donald Trump addresses supporters after landslide Iowa caucus win

ABC News and CNN have scrapped their planned Republican primary debates ahead of next week’s New Hampshire primary after Nikki Haley declared she would only take part if Donald Trump finally faced his rivals on stage, leaving only Ron DeSantis willing to participate.

Ms Haley wrote on X after the Iowa caucuses that Mr Trump had “ducked” all of the GOP debates and now had “nowhere left to hide”.

“The next debate I do will either be with Donald Trump or with Joe Biden. I look forward to it,” she added.

On Monday night, Mr Trump roared to victory in Iowa, with51 per cent of the Republican vote.

Ms Haley lost out to Mr DeSantis in the battle for second place, with both vowing to soldier on to New Hampshire.

Vivek Ramaswamy dropped out of the race and swiftly endorsed Mr Trump after securing less than eight per cent of the vote, appearing with him at a Granite State rally the following evening, where he was tipped as a possible running mate.

Asa Hutchinson also pulled out on Tuesday, after failing to make any meaningful impact on the race.

Steve Bannon, a former adviser to Donald Trump, ripped into House Speaker Mike Johnson after the Republican congressman said Joe Biden’s presidency was “God’s will.”

Mr Bannon has spent the last several years hosting his War Room right-wing podcast, and made clear on a recent episode that he disagreed with Mr Johnson’s take on Mr Biden’s presidency.

Mr Johnson made the comments on Wednesday during a press conference. He was asked if Mr Biden’s presidency was “God’s will.”

Graig Graziosi has the story:

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