ARIZONA GOP DEBATE WILL INCLUDE QUESTIONS FROM LOCALS

posted by Andrea Kelly

Tonight’s debate is the twenty first scheduled so far this presidential election cycle, so CNN decided to mix it up a bit.

For the first time, the four front-runner GOP candidates are sitting side-by-side at a table, instead of standing behind lecterns.

The change is because a field of just four candidates allows for a more intimate setting, says Sam Feist, CNN's Washington bureau chief.

Some of the questions the candidates will field at that table will be from Arizonans.

CNN worked with the Arizona Republican Party to help find some undecided voters, Fiest says, and started with a list of hundreds of people.

“We get that pool of voters down to truly undecided voters, people who just frankly haven’t made up their mind, they haven’t been involved in anybody’s campaign, they haven’t made any contributions whatsoever and so that’s the group of people that will be in a position to ask some questions," he says.

The debate gets underway at 6 p.m. and is the last scheduled before Arizona’s primary next Tuesday. It’s also the last before several states vote on Super Tuesday, March 6.

STAND BY YOUR MAN

posted by Christopher Conover

The final debate before Arizona's GOP presidential primary is just a few hours away and final preparations are underway. The City of Mesa is showing the debate on a huge screen in front of the Mesa Arts Center. Right now organizers are setting up hundreds of chairs as well as tents for food vendors. The whole event is meant to be a bit of a party. Political candidates for Arizona's open US Senate seat are also setting up booths to promote their campaigns to the GOP faithful who are on hand to watch the debate.

Dozens of Ron Paul supporters including a woman named Shay, showed up hours in advance to make sure their candidate is well represented. She said all the Paul supporters standing in front of the venue are now friends.

Arizona is one of two GOP primaries scheduled for next Tuesday.

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE TONIGHT; WE'LL BE THERE

posted by Michael Chihak

Arizona Public Media will have two seats at the Republican presidential debate in Mesa tonight.

Political correspondents Christopher Conover and Andrea Kelly will cover and provide details for NPR 89.1, for Thursday's Arizona Illustrated and for online and our social media outlets.

Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul will square off in front of a live audience in what will decidedly be Romney territory.

The debate will be nationally telecast on CNN.