GOP presidential candidates Sen. Ted Cruz and Ben Carson joined former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich Thursday to call on ABC News to put Carly Fiorina on stage for Saturday’s Republican debate in New Hampshire.
Romney and Gingrich pointed out that Fiorina outperformed Ohio Gov. John Kasich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in Iowa, but both men will still appear on stage Saturday.
“Hey @ABC: put @CarlyFiorina on the debate stage! She got more Iowa votes than John and Chris. Don’t exclude only woman,” Romney tweeted Thursday. The tweet was quickly blasted out by Fiorina’s campaign.
“.@ABC should put @CarlyFiorina in the new hampshire debate. she came in ahead of kasich and christie. She has earned a spot,” Gingrich tweeted.
Later Thursday, the Texas senator also called on ABC and the Republican National Committee to include Fiorina in the event, saying it would be a “mistake” for her to be excluded.
“She has worked hard, won a diligent campaign,” Cruz told reporters in Weare, New Hampshire, adding that her presence on stage would be a “beneficial element.”
Carson joined the chorus Thursday evening, tweeting that candidates should all be included.
“With 9 Republicans left, I call on the RNC to get rid of arbitrary requirements for debates. Americans deserve to hear from every candidate,” Carson tweeted.
Fiorina is in danger of not appearing at Saturday’s debate after ABC announced the debate would not include an undercard stage. Fiorina has not met the requirements to appear on the stage.
The current criteria for the debate will not include any candidate who does not finish in the top-three in the Iowa caucuses or poll in the top six positions either nationally or in New Hampshire.
She wrote a letter to the RNC Wednesday demanding she appear on the main stage.
Fiorina’s request follows a dismal showing in the Iowa caucuses and as multiple other candidates have ended their bids, including Sen. Rand Paul, former Sen. Rick Santorum and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.