And then there were 10.  The prime-time lineup is set for the first major 2016 Republican primary debate — and Rick Perry isn’t in it.  Thursday night’s Republican showdown in Cleveland will feature only the top 10 candidates, chosen by host Fox News Channel based on their standing in an average of five recent national polls.  The restrictions led to a scrum among the hopefuls on the cusp, who were trying to avoid being stuck at what’s been dubbed “the kids’ table.”  That’s the pat-on-the-head nickname for the hourlong undercard debate airing at 5 p.m., ahead of the 9-11 p.m. slot reserved for the top-tier contenders.  Eight candidates — businessman Donald Trump, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, retired surgeon Ben Carson, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul - had fairly smooth sailing securing their spots.  Three lower-ranked hopefuls — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and former Texas Gov. Perry — were left fighting for the final two spots on the main stage.  Fox averaged the results from surveys by Bloomberg, CBS News, Monmouth University and Quinnipiac University, along with its own poll, to establish the lineup for Thursday’s debates. The forum will be hosted in conjunction with Facebook and the Ohio Republican Party at Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena.  Without a doubt, a slew of recent polls on the 17-member GOP field have shown real estate mogul Trump with a runaway lead.  In the Tuesday Bloomberg poll, Trump led the pack with the support of 21% of likely Republican voters. Then came Bush with 10%, and Walker, who got 8%.  The Fox News poll showed Trump in first place with the support of 26% self-identified Republican primary voters, and Bush in second place with 15%. Walker came in third with 9%.  Candidates who will appear in the “pregame show” include Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, former New York Gov. George Pataki, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.  As the leader of the B-team, Perry will stand at the center podium.  Graham has openly expressed disgust about the system, saying it “sucks” and that the Republican National Committee shouldn’t have sanctioned it.  ON A MOBILE DEVICE? WATCH THE VIDEO HERE.
Two days ahead of the GOP’s first 2016 primary debate, several polls appeared to suggest that the event’s lineup is nearly set.