Election 2024 – updates: New Hampshire GOP debate scrapped as Asa Hutchinson quits race

Donald Trump addresses supporters after landslide Iowa caucus win

ABC News has scrapped Thursday night’s Republican primary debate in New Hampshire after Nikki Haley vowed that she would only take part if Donald Trump faced his rivals on the stage.

After the Iowa caucuses, Ms Haley wrote on X that Mr Trump had “ducked all” of the GOP debates and now has “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 said.

On Monday night, Mr Trump soared to victory in the 2024 Iowa caucuses, with a projected 51 per cent of the Republican vote.

Ms Haley lost out to Mr DeSantis for second place, with both vowing to continue on to the New Hampshire primary.

Vivek Ramaswamy dropped out of the race and endorsed Mr Trump after securing less than eight per cent of the vote.

Asa Hutchinson then also pulled out on Tuesday, after failing to meet thresholds to even appear at the past few debates.

On Tuesday night, Mr Ramaswamy then joined the former president on stage at a rally in New Hampshire, where they teased the possibility that he tapped to be his running mate.

ABC News has scrapped Thursday night’s Republican primary debate in New Hampshire after Nikki Haley vowed that she would only take part if Donald Trump faced his rivals on the stage.

“Our intent was to host a debate coming out of the Iowa caucuses, but we always knew that would be contingent on the candidates and the outcome of the race,” the network said in a statement.

“As a result, while our robust election coverage will continue, ABC News and [local news station] WMUR-TV will not be moving forward with Thursday’s Republican presidential primary debate in New Hampshire.”

The outlet said that neither