Fox News to Host Two Presidential Debates with the Iowa Republican Party

Fox News and the Iowa Republican Party have jointly announced that they will present two presidential debates, which are expected to attract the top 2012 Republican contenders for President.  The debates are currently scheduled to be presented live and exclusively on Fox News Channel (FNC), Fox News Radio, Fox News Mobile and FoxNews.com.

The first debate, which will coincide with the Iowa Straw Poll, will be held on Thursday, August 11, 2011.  The second one will take place in 2012 prior to the Iowa Caucus at a date and venue mutually agreed to by Fox News and the Iowa Republican Party.

In making the announcement, Fox News’ Senior Vice President of News Editorial Michael Clemente said, “As the road to the 2012 Presidential election heats up, Fox News will continue its commitment to the most thorough election coverage, by devoting air-time and the necessary resources for these important debates.”

Matthew Strawn, Chairman of the Iowa Republican Party, added, “Presidential candidates cannot underestimate the importance of a good showing in Iowa.  This is the first true test of support in the presidential nominating cycle.  Candidates come face-to-face with tens of thousands of Iowans at the Straw Poll, and will reach every corner of our state and a national audience in our presidential debate. Candidates who perform well here will enjoy a national boost in support.”

Fox News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour general news service covering breaking news as well as political, business and entertainment news. For over 100 consecutive months, FNC has been the most-watched cable news channel in the country. Owned by News Corp., FNC is available in more than 90 million homes.