GOP presidential debate arena is EMPTY: Second-tier candidates face off in front of just a few dozen people despite predictions of 5,000 spectators:
For the second-tier Republicans facing off in the first major presidential debates, it is their time to shine in front of a nation.
But closer to home, the candidates are making their political pitch to around 20,000 empty seats at the Cleveland host venue.
Candidates including Rick Perry, Lindsey Graham, Bobby Jindal and Carly Fiorina knew they were in the lower end of the pack when they were consigned to the warm-up debate at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, Thursday night.
But, judging from the predictions of organizers and local GOP grandees, nothing prepared them for the washout crowd, who could fill on a fraction of the enormous sports venue.
Footage from the early phases of the debate, which began around 5pm local time, showed row on row of vacant seats.
The poor turn-out is a stark contrast to the predicted turnout of 5,000 - 'probably the largest debate audience in history'.
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Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is expecting a big crowd for his rally in Sunday — so big that his campaign announced on Facebook that the event is being moved from Veterans Memorial Coliseum to the much larger Moda Center.
Depending on its configuration, the Moda Center can handle more than 19,000 occupants, compared to just under 13,000 for the Memorial Coliseum. Doors to the event open at 6 p.m. and Sanders will begin speaking at 7 p.m.
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