The first Republican National Committee's debate for the 2016 presidential primaries will be held in Cleveland, RNC officials said Wednesday.
The date and venue have not been finalized, but officials said that it will likely coincide with the RNC's Annual Summer Meeting in Cleveland in August.
"This is exciting news and a great opportunity to showcase Cleveland," Ohio Senator Rob Portman said. "It's also a chance for our candidates to bring their message to one of the most important swing states in the country. Ohio has a big role to play in the 2016 elections, and I look forward to working with the RNC, local officials, and all involved to make this a success."
The RNC announced in January that the first would be in Ohio and many speculated that the venue would be in Cleveland, since the city is hosting the 2016 Republican National Convention.
The Republican National Committee posted the following schedule on its website:
1. Fox News, August 2015, Ohio
2. CNN, September 2015, California
3. CNBC, October 2015, Colorado
4. Fox Business, November 2015, Wisconsin
5. CNN, December 2015, Nevada
6. Fox News, January 2016, Iowa
7. ABC News, February 2016, New Hampshire
8. CBS News, February 2016, South Carolina
9. NBC/Telemundo, February 2016, Florida
PENDING:
10. Fox News, March 2016, location TBD
11. CNN, March 2016, location TBD
12. Conservative Media Debate, date TBD, locations TBD
