(The Center Square) – Eight Republican primary candidates have qualified for this week’s Republican presidential primary debate.
Those candidates expected to be on the stage Wednesday night are:
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
Former Ambassador Nikki Haley
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson
Former Vice President Mike Pence
Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy
South Carolina U.S. Sen. Tim Scott
The Republican National Committee and Fox News Channel will host the debate Wednesday evening in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which is also the location for the Republican national convention next summer.
“The RNC is excited to showcase our diverse candidate field and the conservative vision to beat Joe Biden on the debate stage Wednesday night,” RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement.
Notably absent is former President and current Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.
According to The Center Square Voters’ Voice poll released late last week, Trump holds a significant lead over the other candidates in the GOP primary, with 53% support. In second is DeSantis with 18% support. 35 percentage points behind Trump. Former Vice President Mike Pence and entrepreneur and author Vivek Ramaswamy came in at third and fourth place with 7% and 6% support, respectively.
Trump posted on TruthSocial Sunday pointing to a recent CBS poll that showed a 46-point lead over DeSantis.
Trump said he will “not be doing the debates,” confirming previous media reports.
“New CBS POLL, just out, has me leading the field by ‘legendary’ numbers. TRUMP 62%, 46 Points above DeSanctimonious (who is crashing like an ailing bird!), Ramaswamy 7%, Pence 5%, Scott 3%, Haley 2%, Sloppy Chris Christie 2%, “Aida” Hutchinson 1%,” Trump wrote. “The public knows who I am & what a successful Presidency I had, with Energy Independence, Strong Borders & Military, Biggest EVER Tax & Regulation Cuts, No Inflation, Strongest Economy in History, & much more. I WILL THEREFORE NOT BE DOING THE DEBATES!”
The New York Times reported Friday that Trump would skip the debate and instead opt for an interview with former Fox host Tucker Carlson, who now posts often viral interviews on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The platform for that interview has not been announced, but it is expected to be released Wednesday evening.
There is a reason the fake CBS poll showing DeSantis behind Trump by 46%,,,,,It’s just another “If you can’t win the argument, just attack and smear the guy you fear most might beat you” Demented Democrats actually DO think Biden can easily beat Trump again next year, but more fear DeSantis who has not the same unjust media and legal baggage yet draped about his neck like an media created albatross that would keep him like Trump, boxed inside courtrooms that equalize the playing field of an encapsulated Biden Basement campaign necessity. Unlike the current unvetted liberally educated, fast talking politically correct colored liberal media darling Ramaswamy, DeSantis has a proven record of successful governance, executive success, and electability that no amount of Trump smearing can erase. The louder the complaints are just an indication of the actual fear that DeSantis will earn the emoluments and titles what the old guard party people feel they are entitled to be given free of charge without having to compete on the playing fields of debating competition.. It’s shaping up to be entitlement Hillary all over again but this time the Republicans. Let the real debates begin, and every candidate show up. to prove their metal. We don;’need more Octagenarian Presidents who may die in office or lead with ever aging innacurate mentalities. Sorry Donald but that is YOU. Even Reagan succumbed to Alzheimers.,,, but still managed to be smarter than Joe is today/
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie should read Former Human Being Chris Christie. NO more. Now a reprobate, scoundrel.
I am shocked he even GOT on the stage..
This debate is just a “see me” show at this point. The only thing that is interesting is the question of why Larry Elder has been denied participation. I would have liked to see what he has to say. I have never heard anything he espoused for which I disagree.
GOP has not yet featured who could win the general. Hopefully election will be one and done without accusations of cheating. Going to be interesting.
As long as the Democrat Party is paying their media, therewill always be accusations AND cheating. It’s [art of their Democrat DNA, and rules for radicals Alinsky playbook on how to steal an election, without anyone understanding how they did it.,,,,with other people’s money of course.
Correction. WITH OUR money, stolen via taxes.