CNN’s Wolf Blitzer will moderate Republican debate in Houston

Wolf Blitzer will moderate the Republican presidential debate on February 25, CNN has announced. The debate, hosted by CNN, Telemundo and the Salem Media Group, will take place at the University of Houston two days after Nevada’s Republican caucuses. Telemundo will carry the debate live in Spanish, and is the only Spanish-language TV network the Republican National Committee has sanctioned to host a debate in the 2016 contest. Telemundo’s Maria Celeste Arraras, Salem’s conservative talk radio host Hugh Hewitt and CNN’s Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash will also ask the candidates questions at the debate. This is slated to be the last Republican debate before Super Tuesday, a packed day on the primary calendar where 12 states will be up for grabs. The focus will likely fall on Texas and the many other southern states that have worked to rebrand the day as the “SEC Primary.” Update: CNN released criteria for candidates to be included in the debate on February 19. 1. File a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission. 2. Be actively campaigning for the Republican nomination and meet at least one of the following criteria: a. Have received support from at least 5% of those who attended the Republican caucuses in Iowa on February 1, 2016, according to the final vote tallies released by the Iowa Republican Party. b. Have received at least 5% of the overall vote in the Republican Presidential primary in New Hampshire on February 9, 2016. c. Receive at least 5% of the overall vote in the Republican Presidential primary to be held in South Carolina on Saturday, February 20, 2016. d. Receive the support of at least 5% of those who attended the Republican caucuses in Nevada to be held on Tuesday, February 23, 2016, according to final vote tallies released by the Nevada Republican Party. 3. Agree to accept the rules and format of the debate.