Iowa GOP To Co-sponsor Caucus Debate With ABC News From Des Moines The Weekend Of December 10, 2011

Iowa GOP to Co-sponsor Caucus Debate with ABC News

DES MOINES- Iowa GOP Chairman Matt Strawn today announced that the Republican Party of Iowa will join with ABC News to co-sponsor a live network broadcast presidential debate from Des Moines the weekend of December 10, 2011. The debate, the first on broadcast television, will be moderated by Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos and will be broadcast live on ABC5/WOI-DT, nationally on the ABC Television Network and live streamed on ABCNews.com. The specific date and location of the event will be released at a later date.

Strawn said this will be the third, and final, presidential debate co-sponsored by the Iowa GOP, as the party has fulfilled its pledge to provide Iowa Republicans with both a cable and network broadcast debate partner during the 2012 First-in-the-Nation Iowa Caucus.

"Republicans all across Iowa have repeatedly asked their party leadership to take a greater role in presidential caucus debates. I am pleased for the first time, the Iowa GOP will have both a cable and network debate partner during the First-in-the-Nation Caucus process," said Strawn, noting that the state party has also partnered with cable network Fox News for debates in Ames and Sioux City. "These three debates will serve to showcase our Republican candidates, and the Iowa Caucus process, to not just Iowa Republicans, but to a nationwide audience."

The Iowa Caucuses are scheduled to take place on February 6, 2012.