OPINION

Monday's GOP presidential debate: Five things to watch

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.

Heavyweight contenders for the Republican presidential nomination will join longshot candidates Monday night in New Hampshire in what feels like the first real debate of the 2012 cycle.

A fuller cast of Republicans will be onstage Monday night at 8 p.m. in Manchester for the two-hour debate broadcast on CNN -- more than compared to the early-May debate in South Carolina which some frontrunners skipped.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.), Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.), Rep. Ron Paul (Texas), former Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.) and businessman Herman Cain round out the cast of Republicans set to appear at St. Anselm College.