And then there were two. The fifth Republican Party debate for the 2024 US presidential election takes place on Wednesday with only two candidates in the spotlight: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former United Nations envoy Nikki Haley.
It’s the smallest performance ever for a primary debate in the 2024 primary race, and it comes just days before the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 15 — the inaugural contest of the U.S. primary season .
Next week’s caucuses offer the first real opportunity to take the temperature of the American electorate. But the race for the Republican nomination has been subdued this year, as former President Donald Trump stays the clear favorite, according to recent polls.
Still, the caucuses will allow observers to formally gauge how much support Trump enjoys relative to his Republican rivals.
For their part, Trump’s opponents are hoping that a strong showing in Iowa — and on the debate stage in the state capital, Des Moines, on Wednesday night — will energize their campaigns and narrow Trump’s lead. ex-president.
Here’s what to expect from the fifth Republican debate.
Who will participate?
Only two Republican presidential candidates are participating in the debate organized by CNN: Haley and DeSantis.
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — both of whom made headlines for their performances in previous debates — failed to qualify. To participate, candidates had to obtain “at least 10 percent in three separate national and/or Iowa polls of Republican caucus members or primary voters,” CNN. said.
Haley and DeSantis have been neck and neck nationally in recent weeks, although far behind Trump. Wednesday’s event, scheduled to begin at 8:00 p.m. local time (02:00 GMT), is an opportunity for the two men to face off head-on.
Will Trump be on the debate stage?
Trump qualified to participate in the Iowa-based debate, but he chose to skip it, as he has for all Republican primary debates so far in the 2024 season.
Instead, the former president will participate in a Wednesday city hall interview in Des Moines, hosted by Fox News. The one-hour event will begin at the same time as the debate. Critics see it as a continuation of a series of “counterprogramming” tactics, as Trump seeks to distance viewers from his rivals’ events.
Trump argued that his dominant position in the Republican race meant he was not required to participate in any of the debates. But his choice was criticized, notably by his Republican opponents.
“I wish Donald Trump would show up at that debate,” DeSantis said of the showdown in Iowa, during an appearance on Fox News’ MediaBuzz show this month. “He’s going to be in Iowa. He could introduce himself, debate and answer questions. And he just chooses not to do that.
DeSantis added: “I think it will hurt him, ultimately, on caucus night. »
Who’s in charge in Iowa?
According to a survey average compiled According to the website FiveThirtyEight, Trump had 50 percent support among Republican voters in the Iowa primary as of January 8.
That puts him dozens of points ahead of his next closest rivals: DeSantis at 18.4 percent and Haley at 15.7 percent. Ramaswamy, meanwhile, had 6 percent support, and Christie was at 3.4 percent.
Asa Hutchinson, former governor of Arkansas, polled less than 1 percent.
What questions will be addressed?
Like previous Republican debates, the Iowa event is expected to address issues important to the party’s voters, including immigration, the economy and U.S. foreign policy.
During the last debate in DecemberDeSantis lashed out at Haley, questioning the former U.N. envoy’s conservative credentials and criticizing him for suggesting that parents should be able to get transgender health care for their children.
The two candidates also exchanged accusations of laxity toward China. But both Haley and DeSantis have provided strong support for Israel’s military offensive in Gaza and have spoken out against Republican front-runner Trump.
Haley described the ex-president as an agent of chaos, and DeSantis argued that Trump had failed to keep his 2016 promises.
How can you watch?
The debate will be broadcast on CNN and CNN International and streamed live on CNN.com and CNN Max. The event will take place at Drake University in Des Moines.
Trump’s town hall, also in Des Moines, will be broadcast live on Fox News Channel.
