Headline Roundup • September 26th, 2023
Republican Primary Candidates, Minus Trump, Take Stage for Second Debate
Summary from the AllSides News Team
The second debate in the Republican primary for the 2024 presidential race, hosted by Fox Business (Lean Right bias), is Wednesday night at 9 p.m. ET.
Trump’s Absence: The frontrunner in the Republican primary, former President Donald Trump, is not participating in the second debate. Trump also skipped the first debate, instead sitting down for a one-on-one interview with Tucker Carlson (Right bias). Instead of debating Wednesday night, Trump is speaking at a Michigan auto parts factory amid the UAW strike.
The Lineup: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott are taking the debate stage a second time. The only candidate who participated in the first debate who did not meet the qualifications for the second debate is former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson.
The Polls: Despite skipping both the Republican debates, Trump holds a commanding lead in the polls. FiveThirtyEight’s (Center bias) aggregated poll statistics currently list Trump at 54%. DeSantis is a distant second at 13.8%. All other candidates are polling on average below 7%.
Media Coverage: Following the first debate, media outlets across the spectrum singled out Vivek and Haley as having made the strongest cases for their candidacy. Apart from seeing bumps in a few polls, their performances did not significantly cut into Trump’s lead.
Featured Coverage of this Story
New York Post (News)
It’s round two for seven 2024 GOP presidential aspirants, all of whom are seeking a breakout moment in the second Republican primary debate.
Here’s what you need to know before tuning in.
When and where is the debate?
The candidates will converge at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif. for the two-hour verbal rumble starting at 9 p.m. ET.
The debate will be shown on the Fox Business Network, which will begin its special coverage at 6 p.m. with a special edition of “The Bottom Line” hosted by...
AP Photo/Morry Gash
Republican presidential hopefuls will strive to set themselves apart from one another and capture voters’ attention when they meet Wednesday night in Simi Valley, Calif., for the second primary debate.
Seven candidates, all polling well behind former President Trump, met the Republican National Committee (RNC) criteria to participate. Asa Hutchinson, former Arkansas governor, did not make the cut a month after being on stage in Milwaukee.
Trump, meanwhile, is again not joining the debate. Instead, he will be at an event near Detroit meeting with current and former union workers...
AP Photo/Morry Gash, File
Republicans are meeting for their second presidential debate on Wednesday as Donald Trump’s top rivals seek to blunt the momentum of the former president, who is so confident of cruising through the party’s primary that he again won’t share a stage with them.
Seven GOP candidates will be at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library for an event hosted by Fox Business Network. Trump will be in Michigan, delivering a prime-time speech attempting to capitalize on the Auto Workers Union strike and trying to appeal to rank-and-file union members in a...
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