OHIO — What started with thirteen is now down to just five candidates, as the bid for the Republican party's presidential nominee continues. 

What You Need To Know

  • 1,215 delegates are needed to become the Republican party's presidential nominee

  • Ohio has 79 delegates and is a "winner-take-all" state

  • Ohio's presidential primary election takes place March 19

For the final time before Monday’s Iowa caucuses, Americans had one last chance to see two of the Republican presidential candidates debate on the same stage. Ron DeSantis squared off with Nikki Haley on Wednesday night. Vivek Ramaswamy and Asa Hutchinson did not qualify for the debate and former President Donald Trump decided to have his own town hall. 

The economy and border security have been hot topics over the past five debates. In order to win the Republican nominee, a candidate needs at least 1,215 delegates. Iowa will be the first one to hold their primary vote. They pass out delegates “proportional to the statewide vote”, meaning that all candidates could walk away with a portion of the forty delegates up for grabs. 

Meanwhile, Ohio operates as a “winner-take-all” state. This means that whichever candidate wins the majority of votes will take home all 79 delegates. Ohio will hold its primary on March 19, two weeks after Super Tuesday. 

The Buckeye State’s primary will come at a crucial time as candidates could be closing in on the delegates needed to win the nomination. In the 2020 primaries, President Trump took all the delegates but lost to former Ohio Gov. John Kasich in the 2016 primaries. 

Currently, polls show former President Trump has a significant lead in the race. He won Ohio, over President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential general election.