Overview

• Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, excluded from the CNN debate, retaliates by airing a 30-second ad during the debate, urging viewers to turn off the TV.
• Ramaswamy accuses the mainstream media of rigging the Iowa GOP caucus in favor of corporate candidates they can control.
• CNN determined that only Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis were qualified to participate in the debate based on polling.
• Despite trailing in recent polls, Ramaswamy had garnered double-digit support in polls conducted by Morning Consult, Reuters/Ipsos and Fox in September.
• Ramaswamy's ad is seen as an ingenious strategy to get his message out there despite the obstacles placed in his way.