The fourth Republican presidential primary debate is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, December 6th, from 8 to 10 p.m. Eastern time, or 7 to 9 p.m. in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The University of Alabama will be hosting the event, which is sanctioned by the Republican National Committee (RNC). The debate will be held in collaboration with NewsNation and three conservative organizations: The Washington Free Beacon, "The Megyn Kelly Show" on Sirius XM, and the streaming platform Rumble.

Viewers will have multiple options to watch the debate, as it will be broadcast or streamed on all NewsNation platforms, including its TV channel, app, and website. Additionally, NewsNation will provide analytical coverage before and after the event, hosted by former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo. The debate will also be rebroadcast from midnight to 2 a.m. Eastern time. In the Eastern and Central time zones, the debate will be broadcast live on the CW, typically known for magic shows and the improv comedy series "Whose Line Is It Anyway?". In the Mountain and Pacific time zones, the debate will be broadcast on local CW affiliates with a delay, from 7 to 9 p.m. An audio feed will be available on SiriusXM's Channel 111, also known as Triumph. Furthermore, the debate will be streamed live on Rumble.

Only four candidates managed to meet the RNC's more stringent criteria for participation in the debate. These candidates include Chris Christie, former governor of New Jersey; Ron DeSantis, the current governor of Florida; Nikki Haley, former governor of South Carolina and former United Nations ambassador; and Vivek Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur. To qualify, candidates had to have at least 80,000 unique donors, an increase from 70,000 for the previous debate, and reach 6 percent support in either two national polls or one national poll and polls of two states with early primaries.

However, former President Donald Trump will once again be skipping the debate, as he did with the previous three debates. While he easily meets the polling and donor criteria, he technically hasn't qualified because he has refused to sign a pledge to support the eventual Republican nominee. Unlike before, Trump will not be doing any public counterprogramming. Instead, he will attend a fundraiser in Florida for a super PAC called MAGA Inc.

The debate will be moderated by Megyn Kelly, a former Fox News host turned radio talk-show host; Eliana Johnson, the editor-in-chief of The Free Beacon; and Elizabeth Vargas, a NewsNation anchor.

This debate will feature the smallest field yet, with only the four aforementioned candidates qualifying for the stage. The RNC announced the candidates' qualification on Monday night. The criteria set by the RNC required candidates to have at least 6% support in two national polls, an increase from 4%, or 6% support in one national poll and one poll from an early state such as Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, or Nevada. Additionally, candidates were required to have a minimum of 80,000 donors, with at least 200 unique donors from 20 states or territories.

There was initially some uncertainty regarding Chris Christie's qualification for the debate due to his polling numbers. However, he managed to gather enough support, particularly in New Hampshire, where he currently holds third place behind Trump and Haley.

The absence of Trump and the small number of candidates on stage reflect a narrowing of the Republican field. Several White House hopefuls and former debate participants have dropped out of the race in recent months. This includes candidates such as former Vice President Mike Pence, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, former Texas Rep. Will Hurd, radio host Larry Elder, and businessman Perry Johnson. However, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and businessman Ryan Binkley are still in the running, despite not meeting the qualification criteria for the debate stage.

Overall, the fourth GOP primary debate promises to be an important event in the Republican presidential race, with only four candidates set to participate and a range of viewing options available to the public.