Eight candidates will appear onstage for the first Republican debate on Wednesday. But much of the focus will be on one person who won’t be there, Donald Trump.
The dynamic has left his opponents preparing for an unusual scenario: debating among themselves while the front-runner with a commanding lead is entirely absent.Still, for Trump’s rivals, the debate provides the biggest audience of the race to date, and their first chance to not only make an impression but to make the race a true contest.
A significant portion of the debate will most likely revolve around Trump, his criminal indictments, his continued questioning of the 2020 election and his responsibility for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. While the candidates have been asked about those issues frequently, a debate allows for follow-up questions — heightening the possibly of a misstep.
DeSantis is viewed as Trump’s strongest challenger, but he has faced weeks of bad press, campaign shake-ups and sinking poll numbers — in what can be a self-reinforcing downward cycle. The debate is his opportunity to change the narrative. The release puts DeSantis in a bind. If he punts on those attacks, he could miss the opportunity to undercut key rivals. If he follows through, he may look inauthentic or even like a puppet.In mock debate sessions, Mike Pence, Trump’s vice president for four years, has prepared to contrast his staunch opposition to abortion, support for Ukraine and his focus on economic growth with the other candidates on the stage.
Many far more politically experienced contenders have met their end under the bright lights of the debate stage. Can Ramaswamy’s performance match his bluster?Two issues have divided the Republican field more than any others: abortion rights and support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. The Ukraine war has exposed a rift between the foreign policy hawks and the anti-interventionist wing of the party.
“If you like Coca-Cola and Coke comes out with New Coke, and Coke is still available, well, you’re going to buy Coke because what do you need New Coke for?” he said in a recent town hall in New Hampshire, arguing that Republicans needed a truer alternative to Trump than DeSantis. “Ron DeSantis is New Coke.”The senator from South Carolina has campaigned across the country with an upbeat, future-focused message that leans heavily on his compelling personal story.
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