Fox debate rules could give Trump center stage

Fox News’s rules could see controversial real estate mogul Donald Trump take center stage at the first GOP presidential debate next week, according to a Thursday report.

Fox has not yet announced who has made the cut for next Thursday’s primetime debate in Ohio, which is restricted to the top 10 candidates of the crowded Republican field of 17. But the Bloomberg report details the beginnings of the ground rules the network will use to moderate the 9 p.m. event.

{mosads}The top-polling candidate will stand at the center podium, with the next highest polling candidates fanning out from the middle. If current survey results hold, that likely means Trump will be standing front-and-center.

Each candidate will get one minute to answer questions from the debate moderators, Fox hosts Megyn Kelly, Chris Wallace and Bret Baier, sources tell Bloomberg, with others who are called upon for rebuttals receiving 30 seconds. Candidates mentioned by their rivals will be able to respond with an amount of time at the discretion of the moderators.   

“As we have communicated to the all the campaigns, we will work to give candidates equal time during the 5PM/ET and 9PM/ET debates, just as we have done in the past,” FOX Executive Vice President Michael Clemente told Bloomberg in response to reports that the candidates might not have equal time. 

“Any indication otherwise is flat wrong.”

It’s still unclear which candidates will make the cut, as Fox has not released the polls that it will be relying on for its standings. Recent polling averages from RealClearPolitics (RCP) show Trump, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.), former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Ben Carson, Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) and Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) all above 5 percent and likely making the cut.

Govs. John Kasich (Ohio) and Chris Christie (N.J.) would round out the top 10, according to the RCP average, with former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Sen. Rick Santorum (Penn.) knocking on the door.

Those who fail to make the top 10 — likely including Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Carly Fiorina — will be invited to participate in a 5 p.m. debate moderated by “America’s Newsroom” co-anchors Bill Hemmer and Martha MacCallum.

– Updated at 8:43 p.m.