Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP
House of Representatives members stand for the Pledge of Allegiance at the opening session of the 114th Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015, as Republicans assume full control for the first time in eight years.
Friday, Jan. 16, 2015 | 12:15 p.m.
CORONADO, Calif. — The Republican National Committee is announcing plans to hold nine presidential primary debates, with the first just seven months away.
RNC officials reported Friday the first debate is scheduled for Ohio in August. The announcement follows months of negotiations between media partners and a field of more than two dozen White House prospects.
It represents a sharp decline in the number of debates from the 2012 election season.
Specific dates were not announced on Friday, but the rough timeline includes debates in California in September, Colorado in October, Nevada in December, Iowa in January, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida in February. Another three debates are pending.
The shift is part of several rule changes designed to make the party's nominee stronger in the general election.
A party official told the Las Vegas Sun that locations and dates for Nevada's debate are still being determined.
Nevada, a swing state in presidential politics, is no stranger to hosting presidential debates. In 2007, UNLV hosted a Democratic presidential primary debate. In 2011, The Venetian Resort hosted a Republican primary presidential debate.
Amber Phillips, the Sun’s Washington corespondent, contributed to this report.
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