Stockton One of Just Twelve Bidding for Presidential Debate

The Commission on Presidential Debates posted the final list of colleges that will bid on hosting a Presidential or Vice Presidential Debate during the 2012 election on its website late Friday afternoon.

There are a total of 12 colleges bidding, including the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, . They are a mix of large schools, including Indiana University, Wake Forest University and Hofstra University, and smaller institutions, including Centre College, St. Mary’s College of California and Lynn University.

The list of bidders includes:

Belmont University; Centre College; the Dominican University of California; Eastern Kentucky University; Hofstra University; Indiana University; Lynn University; Saint Mary's College of California; The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey; University of Denver; Wake Forest University; and Washington University in St. Louis.

Stockton submitted its bid on Wednesday after realizing it met or far exceeded every requirement for hosting a debate as set forth by the commission. The bid took three months to assemble, and was put together by a little over 20 members of the college’s staff.

The commission will now analyze the bid, which consists of a video presentation and a document highlighting the positive aspects of the school. The commission may do an on site analysis in the coming months.

The list of 12 bidders will be narrowed to four debate host sites this fall.

Washington University, the University of Mississippi, Butler and Hofstra hosted debates in 2008.