Republican Presidential Hopefuls to Meet for 2nd Debate – Seven Republican contenders vying for their party’s nomination in the upcoming U.S. presidential election are poised to engage in their second debate on Wednesday. This event will take place at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California and notably does not include the current front-runner in the Republican race, former President Donald Trump.
The lineup for this debate closely resembles that of the first Republican debate held last month in Wisconsin, which Trump also chose to skip. Participating candidates include former Vice President Mike Pence, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
People Also Read: Trump Lawyer Says New York Attorney General Has no Fraud Case
The sole change in this lineup is the absence of former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, who did not meet the criteria established by the Republican National Committee. The criteria for participation included achieving a minimum of 3% support in two national opinion polls or 3% in one national poll along with two state polls from early nomination contest states such as Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina.
Candidates were also required to secure a minimum of 50,000 unique financial donors and commit to supporting the eventual Republican nominee. The official selection of the Republican candidate will occur at a convention in July, leading up to the November 2024 presidential election. Rather than joining the debate, Trump’s agenda for Wednesday includes delivering a speech at a non-unionized automotive parts supplier in Michigan.
This visit follows President Joe Biden’s recent trip to Michigan, during which he stood in solidarity with striking auto workers on a picket line. The United Auto Workers union is advocating for increased wages, shorter workweeks, and assurances from automakers that jobs related to electric car production will be unionized.
READ MORE
US Senator Booker Calls on Fellow New Jersey Senator Menendez to Resign
Trump Lobbying Key Republicans Over Attempt to Impeach Joe Biden
Mitch McConnell Rejects Speculation About Future Amid Concerns Over Health