The second debate with the Republican presidential candidates will take place Wednesday in Simi, Valley, California at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. The debate is scheduled to air on Fox Business Network and Univision, with the Republican National Committee (RNC) announcing that it will also be available for streaming on the video-sharing platform Rumble from 9 to 11 p.m. Simultaneously, platforms like ABC News and Fox News will be uploading live updates on the events taking place on stage as well as reporting on the biggest takeaways.
What went down in the first GOP debate
Eight total Republican presidential candidates were present at the first GOP debate discussing a variety of issues regarding policy: abortion, the economy, Ukraine and education. Despite Ron DeSantis’ lead as second in the Republican polls, Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy held the spotlight in the first debate.
Most notably were the heated exchanges between Ramaswamy and candidates Mike Pence, former Vice President, and Nikki Haley, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, on issues such as the war in Ukraine and climate change. The attention on Ramaswamy brought more recognition to him, while also leading to backlash from candidates such as Pence who called him a “rookie” that would need “on-the-job training” in the White House.
As mentioned, DeSantis was not a notable figure in the debate. He was left primarily unscathed.
Discussions on abortion were divided among the candidates as well. Many endorsed a national ban, while others such as Tim Scott, former New Jersey governor, and Pence supported a ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
This divide was further seen in discussions on Ukraine. The traditional conservative wing of the party – with a strong emphasis on foreign policy – was seen in candidates like Haley and Pence. Then there was the isolationist side with DeSantis and Ramaswamy stating the need to stop funding the war.
Qualifications for the second GOP debate
Of the nine Republican candidates that qualified for the first debate, only seven will make an appearance tomorrow night: DeSantis, Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, Pence, Scott, Chris Christie and Donald Trump. Trump, however, will be skipping the second Republican presidential primary.
To be eligible to participate in the second GOP debate, candidates must meet the following of the RNC’s criteria:
- Polling Threshold: They need to reach at least 3% support in two national polls, or they can qualify with 3% in one national poll and 3% in two separate polls conducted in early nominating states (Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada).
- Donor Requirement: Candidates must have garnered support from a minimum of 50,000 individual donors to their campaign.
- Pledge of Support: Candidates must pledge to support the party’s eventual 2024 nominee.
These qualifications must be met 48 hours before the debate.
Format of second debate:
According to Fox and ABC News, the second GOP debate will be formatted as follows.
- Candidates will have specific time limits for their responses.
- They will be given one minute to answer questions asked by the moderators followed by an additional 30 seconds for any follow-up responses.
The content and timing of follow-up questions will be determined by the moderators themselves. Additionally, there will be no opening or closing statements allowed from the candidates during this debate.
Fox News anchors Dana Perino and Stuart Varney and Univision’s Ilia Calderón will moderate the debate.
What about Trump
Although Donald Trump easily met the donor and polling qualifications, he refused to sign the pledge of support to the Republican nominee. Trump will instead be delivering a speech in Detroit to current and former United Automobile Workers union members regarding disputes between them and automakers.
Simultaneously running at the same time as the debate, there will be an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and Trump. The interview will air at 8:55 p.m.
Questions heading into the second debate
As seen in the polls, Trump still holds the lead among the Republican electorate. Trump has 58% support among potential Republican voters with DeSantis at 15% support, Ramaswamy at 9% and Haley at 7%.
In February, Quinnipiac University Poll showed the race with DeSantis at 36% support and Trump at 42%. Now, Trump is in the lead by a great margin. This begs the question of whether these debates are even worthwhile for DeSantis. Is there a possibility that he can close this gap in the second debate with such little recognition from the first?
Some Florida residents don’t think so.
Joseph C. Angelillo, a University of Florida assistant professor in the history department, said he thought back in
November that “DeSantis was already a lock for the nomination in 24.”
However, with the recent developments in his campaign, he said he believes DeSantis is “kind of falling flat right now.”
He also said DeSantis had shortcomings in the last GOP debate.
“I do remember there was a part of the debate where the candidates were asked if they would support Trump if he was indicted or if he was convicted and he looked around before putting his hand up,” Angelillo said. “You want someone with conviction here.”
Other Floridians speculate on the success of DeSantis.
Political Science Professor at UF Sharon D. Wright Austin said although at one point Trump was far ahead DeSantis was still thought of as having a good chance of being a second candidate.
“DeSantis doesn’t have the kind of charisma that some politicians have had,” she said.
Much of the last debate was focused on the other candidates, Austin said.
“It just remains to be seen with this upcoming debate, how well prepared is he. Does he really understand that his campaign is in free fall and has been for quite some time? This could definitely be the final dagger,” she said.
Featured image: Ron DeSantis speaking at the 2016 CPAC Conference. (Unmodified photo by Gage Skidmore used under a Creative Commons license. https://bit.ly/435YktH
