After announcing that he was “protesting” the Fox Business undercard debate after he failed to make the main stage, Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul is now asking Fox Business to let him into the primetime debate.

The Paul campaign points a Des Moines Register poll of Iowa that finds Paul at 5 percent in the Hawkeye State, earning fifth place in the poll. If the poll counts, that fifth place finish would be enough for Paul to qualify in the main Fox Business debate.

“It occurred within the window of time they prescribed,” Paul told The Washington Post‘s Dave Weigel. “We’re [hoping] they will reevaluate and count this poll, which comes after the NBC/Marist poll, which also had us alone in fifth place. Our campaign is talking with them about re-evaluating the decision.”

But while Paul is correct in saying that the Des Moines Register poll was conducted before the polling deadline, Fox Business’ rules required that polls need to be released before the deadline.

“We announced the criteria in December and clearly stated the polling needed to be conducted and released by Monday, January 11th at 6pm/ET,” Fox Business said in a statement to Mediaite.

Paul’s last-ditch effort comes after the candidate successfully lobbied to earn a spot in the December primetime CNN debate, even though he apparently failed to meet the network’s polling qualifications.

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