With recent polls showing Mitt Romney on a major skid in Michigan, Arizona matters more than ever. March 6 is Super Tuesday and without a debate before the most significant day of the primary elections, tonight is shaping up to be a perfect storm of importance. Newt Gingrich? He’s still in the race and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports he has decided to skip Michigan and focus the majority of his efforts on Arizona and the Super Tuesday states. Ron Paul also has a significant following in Arizona and is expected to make some noise. And with the most recent CNN/Time/Opinion Research poll showing Romney only leading in Arizona by 4%, tonight’s debate performance could make or break the front runners.

Here are the details for tonight’s Republican Candidates Debate.

Where? Mesa Performing Arts Center. Mesa, Arizona.

When? Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. MST

Watch: Airs live on CNN and CNN.com will live stream the event online and on the CNN apps for iPhone, iPad, Android phone and Android tablet.

Engage: As usual, Decision 2012 will host a live chat during the debate starting at 5:30 p.m. And don’t forget to check the blog throughout and immediately after the debate for immediate reactions from the Deseret News politics team.

Who is participating in the Debate? Former House speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.), U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and former U.S. senator Rick Santorum (Pa.). In addition to questions posed to the candidates by King and Arizona Republicans in the audience, CNN will solicit questions and comments submitted in real-time from CNN.com, the CNN Politics fan page on Facebook and by using the #CNNDebate hashtag on Twitter.

Who will moderate the debate?CNN anchor and chief national correspondent John King will moderate the two-hour debate.

What is the official Twitter hashtag? @DeseretNews is using #AZDEBATE and #CNNDEBATE.

3 comments

I will continue lobbying for these events to be mentioned in the Deseret News newspaper. The only comments in the past have been in the way of analysis after the debates are finished. News should theoretically include upcoming events, not just looking back. Please consider this for future debates.
Thanks.

Posted on February 22, 2012 at 2:34 pm | Reply

To the Editor,
I would respectly ask and encourage your publication to step away from the blatant ban by main stream media in thier effort to exclude Ron Paul air time or news coverage and give EVERY canidate equal time and coverage! Being from Arizona, I would expect that consideration from your long standing record of accuracy and integrity in news coverage.

Thank You in Advance,
Ed Zink
(formally of Phoenix)

Posted on February 22, 2012 at 4:18 pm | Reply