(WASHINGTON – August 28, 2023) The Institute of Politics and Public Service (GU Politics) at Georgetown’s McCourt School of Public Policy and The Associated Press today announced a forum with Republican presidential candidates on national security and foreign policy.
The October forum, moderated by AP journalists and held in Georgetown University’s historic Gaston Hall in Washington, DC, will offer young voters the opportunity to ask the candidates about issues of national and global importance.
Each candidate will have a 45 to 60 minute town hall style opportunity to discuss national security and foreign policy. The time will be split evenly between a moderated discussion and live Q&A from students. Along with live audience questions from students at Georgetown and other DC-area universities, the event will include remote participation from university students at campus watch parties in early primary states who will have the opportunity to ask the candidate questions through a live video feed. (Campus partners in early states will be announced in the coming weeks.)
A livestream of the event will be available to AP customers, on apnews.com, and to the general public on GU Politics social media channels (@GUPolitics).
To ensure that the audience hears from a wide range of candidates, the forum will use the polling and fundraising criteria established by the Republican National Committee for inclusion in the first GOP debate on Aug. 23. The forum is not associated with the RNC and is not an RNC-sanctioned event. All candidates who meet their polling and fundraising requirements by September 18, 2023 will be invited.
- Achieving at least 1% in three qualifying national polls
- Achieving at least 1% in at least two qualifying national polls and two qualifying early state polls
- Collecting donations from 40,000 individual contributors
- Collecting 200 contributions from 20 or more states
Qualifying polls are those national and state polls which meet the RNC criteria for inclusion. From the RNC’s release, these polls:
- Survey at least 800 registered likely Republican voters through a mix of live calls, integrated voice response, online panels, and/or text message.
- Not overly weight responses of any individual cohort beyond the margin of the error of the poll.
- Ask the question on presidential preference prior to any question which may allow potential bias.
- Not to be conducted by a polling company affiliated with a candidate or candidate committee.
WHAT: National Security and Foreign Policy Forum, a conversation between presidential candidates and young voters on the issues of national security and foreign policy
WHEN: Monday, October 2 and/or Tuesday, October 3
WHERE: Gaston Hall, Georgetown University, 3700 O Street NW. More information on remote participation will become available in the coming weeks.
WHO:
- The Institute of Politics and Public Service and The Associated Press
- GOP presidential candidates who meet first GOP debate polling and fundraising thresholds set by RNC for their first debate.
HOSTS:
- The Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service
- The Associated Press
PRESS ATTENDANCE:
- Media wishing to attend in person must RSVP by emailing media@georgetown.edu. Space is limited and not guaranteed until confirmed by Georgetown’s Office of Communications. Please indicate if you would like an audio/video feed of the debate, but note that no live video broadcast is permitted.
- Press will need to present valid credentials at check-in
- There will be no Q&A for attending press during the event
ABOUT THE INSTITUTE OF POLITICS AND PUBLIC SERVICE:
The Institute of Politics and Public Service (GU Politics) connects and empowers students and the community in an effort to improve and reimagine politics and public service and reaffirm its promise. Founded as part of Georgetown’s McCourt School of Public Policy in the fall of 2015, GU Politics programming is open to the entire University community.
Online: politics.georgetown.edu
ABOUT AP:
The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.
Online: www.ap.org