These Republicans Are Officially On The List

And then there were ... 10? The Republican presidential hopeful crowd is, well, a crowd. With 17 Republicans serious about running, voters have a lot of options. But only 10 candidates can take part in the first official debates. The media has long speculated over who will be speaking, but speculate no more. The 10 official Republican candidates for the first GOP debate of 2015 have finally been chosen.

So how did Fox News narrow the field down to 10 candidates? According to CNN, Fox took the top five polls ("top" as in the ones they deem the most respectable) and used them to choose their candidates. Thursday's two-hour debates begin at 9 p.m. ET, and will be moderated by Bret Baier, Megyn Kelly, and Chris Wallace. You'll probably hear about hot-button issues, such as the Iran nuclear deal, the economy, climate change, and Planned Parenthood. Although we can't be exactly sure of what to expect from the debates, we are sure who's taking part. Here are the 10 candidates to look out for Thursday.

Donald Trump

After flirting with presidential campaigns for years, Trump's committed this time. From his racist comments about Mexican immigrants to his declaring himself rich, his campaign has been colorful, to say the least. Trump's making a splash, and leading the GOP — a CBS poll published Tuesday gives Trump 24 percent of the Republican vote.

Jeb Bush

Or should I say "Jeb!" Bush is the next leading GOP candidate behind Trump, with the CBS poll reporting that he has 13 percent of the vote. The former governor of Florida is the son of former president George H.W. Bush and brother of former president George W. Bush. His campaign so far has been a lot less dramatic, compared to those of some of his counterparts.

Scott Walker

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has 10 percent of the CBS poll. Walker has a dramatic history, what with his anti-union actions, his recall election victory, and his questionable environmental policies. He's also got strong ties to the powerhouse Koch brothers.

Mike Huckabee

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is also an ordained preacher and ex-host of Fox News. The 59-year-old also ran in 2008, with little success.

Ben Carson

The 63-year-old retired neurosurgeon had a successful career as a physician. In 2011, CNN and TIME named him as one of the top 20 physicians and scientists in the U.S. As for the political sphere, he's never actually held or even run for office. He's also been criticized for saying that Obamacare is the "worst thing to have happened in this nation since slavery” and declaring that homosexuality is "absolutely" a choice.

Ted Cruz

The 44-year-old Texas senator won his position as an underdog in 2012. He wants to repeal Obamacare, he defines marriage as being between a man and a woman, and he wants to cut funding to Planned Parenthood. Check out his secret bacon-cooking technique: firing a machine gun.

Marco Rubio

The Florida native and senator is a second-generation Cuban-American. His poll numbers have been dropping lately.

Rand Paul

Kentucky Sentator Rand Paul is branded as not being your average Republican. In some ways, he's a lot more moderate than some of his counterparts, but he's been called out for straying from his libertarian roots. He's also got politics in the family — he's the son of a former U.S Representative from Texas Ron Paul.

Chris Christie

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie "tells it like it is," most recently saying teachers' unions deserve a "punch in the face." He's also stirred up controversy as a figure in the Bridgegate scandal. Expect to see his trademark blunt attitude in the debates Thursday.

John Kasich

The 63-year-old Ohio governor announced his presidency relatively recently, in July. He's not as well-known as some of the other candidates, but he does have more experience, and New York Times columnist David Brooks dubbed him "the most underestimated Republican this year."