GOP presidential debate arena is EMPTY as second-tier candidates face off

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Candidates including Rick Perry, Bobby Jindal and Carly Fiorina were in second-tier debate in Cleveland, Ohio, Thursday night
Despite predictions of record crowd, Quicken Loans arena mostly empty
RNC official said earlier that 5,000 people would flood into the stadium
Tickets were free, but very few came to watch at the 20,000-capacity arena

Published: 17:14 EST, 6 August 2015 | Updated: 05:18 EST, 7 August 2015

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For the second-tier Republicans facing off in the first major presidential debates, it was their time to shine in front of the nation.

But closer to home, the hopefuls made their political pitch to around 20,000 empty seats at their 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.

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Anybody there? Republican presidential candidates, including Ricky Perry, Bobby Jindal and Carly Fiorina, debated one another in front of thousands of empty seats Thursday night

Empty: A small gaggle of the GOP faithful could be seen at the Quicken Loans arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The GOP said it was expecting an audience of 5,000

Get in close: Supporters of the candidates, many of whom will be professional political operators, huddled close to the stage, leaving thousands behind them

Empty seats: This sweeping image of the debate arena shows how sparsely-populated the seats were

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'.

According to local news channel NewsNet5, tickets were free and anyone could apply for up to four by sending an email.

Back of the pack: The first debate was for GOP contenders who didn't make the top 10 in the polls. From left, they are former former Virginia governor Jim Gilmore, South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham, Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal, former Texas governor Rick Perry, formner Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum, former Hewlett -Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, and former New York governor George Pataki

Back and forth: The candidates address issues including ISIS, Donald Trump and the economy. Pictured are Jim Gilmore (left), Lindsey Graham (center) and Bobby Jindal (right)

Candidates: Also in the arena were former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum (left) and Carly Fiorina (right)

Can you hear me at the back? A small crowd of people can be seen in the upper reaches of the stadium, surrounded by vast amounts of space

Maybe they're here? Other spectators could be seen watching the debate on TV at a bar across the street from the venue in downtown Cleveland

Sean Spicer, the Republican National Committee's communications director, made the prediction hours before the scant audience showed up.

He in a video interview with the White House Correspondents' Insider, he said: 'folks from Ohio, Republican supporters, friends and family of the candidates' would comprise the hefty crowd - and that Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler could be among them.

The arena was substantially more full for the main event later in the evening.

Meanwhile in downtown Cleveland, bars were bustling with attendees ready to tune into the debates, and many candidates were holding their own separate viewing parties.

GRAHAM'S UNIQUE PLATFORM: SHORT SENATOR STANDS ON A BOX

Lindsey Graham got a boost in Thursday's debate - by standing on a box to make him look taller.

The 5ft 7in South Carolina senator was provided with a red, cushioned platform which boosted his apparent height to nearly six feet.

With the help of the box, there was no noticeable different between Graham and Jim Gilmore and Bobby Jindal, who stood either side of him.

Booster: Lindsey Graham, center, was given a large, red box to make him look taller for his debate with Republican opponents on Thursday night. He is pictured between Jim Gilmore and Bobby Jindal

Level-headed: With the help of the platform, Graham was not obviously shorter than the candidates surrounding him - including 6ft 1in Rick Perry (right)

FORGET SOMETHING, CARLY? EX-TECH CEO LEAVES NOTES IN PRINTER

She may have spent the peak of her career in charge of a tech giant - but presidential wannabe Carly Fiorina was outfoxed by a printer before her GOP debate appearance.

The former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, or a staffer, left a printed copy of her closing statement in a hotel printer, the brand of which is not known.

Her document was picked up by Sergio Gor, a communications director for Senator Rand Paul, who promptly published the document on Twitter.

Although he did not name the candidate to whom the document was attached, the content matched the statement Fiorina at the end of her appearance, which was well-received by commentators.