Politics & Government
Your Guide: GOP Presidential Primary Debate at Oakland University
The Republican candidates will gather for the ninth time on Nov. 9 – the day after Election Day – at the Rochester campus.
In 12 days, all eyes will be on Oakland County.
The Republican presidential hopefuls, along with pundits, strategists, media members and, more than likely, a few protesters, will be headed to our area of the national political world on Nov. 9, the day after Election Day.
It will be the ninth debate for the GOP candidates. Here's what you need to know about the event on the Rochester campus of Oakland University.
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When and where: The national debate, with the tagline "Your Money, Your Vote," is planned for 8-10 p.m. Nov. 9. The debate will be held at the O'Rena (home of the Golden Grizzlies) on the campus of .
Why OU? The university was selected as a debate site by CNBC, the event's sponsor.
Find out what's happening in Huntington Woods-Berkleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Are there tickets? Not really — unless you can snag an invitation from the Michigan Republican Party, which is co-sponsoring the event. The O'Rena seats 1,400; the university was allotted a small number of seats for faculty and staff and 50 to give out to students through a lottery (students must apply for the lottery by 8 a.m. Monday).
Where can I watch it? CNBC will broadcast live from inside the O'Rena. In addition, a watch party for students and members of the campus community, as well as members of the Rochester-area community, is planned on campus. Attendance at the watch party is free, but you must register online to attend and be chosen by a lottery process, as seats are limited.
Why it matters: It's among a series of national debates for the GOP candidates and will follow closely on the heels of the Illinois straw poll, which is planned for Nov. 5. Michigan is considered by many to be a potential swing state in the 2012 presidential election.
Will it affect life on campus? University officials say disruption to regular classes and campus activities will be minimal. Setup inside the O'Rena will begin next weekend; an exhibition basketball game between the Golden Grizzlies and Windsor, Ontario, that was planned for Nov. 8 was moved to nearby . In addition, the recreation center will be closed that week from Tuesday night until Thursday afternoon.
For more information, visit oakland.edu/debate.
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