Roll CallThe StoryThe first GOP debate is here. What can I expect?Kickoff at 9pm ET on Fox News. Former President Trump — the Republican front-runner — is skipping out. Instead, he’ll air an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson on X-slash-Twitter. Here are the other candidates to watch: Ron DeSantis…the 44-year-old Florida governor polling second to Trump...by a long shot. DeSantis is known for the state’s skyrocketing economy, his fight with Disney over LGBTQIA+ issues, suggesting Black Americans benefited from slavery, being anti-lockdown, and signing a six-week abortion ban. Keep an eye out for whether moderators ask about his campaign shakeups — and whether anyone calls him by Trump’s nickname. Nikki Haley…South Carolina’s first female governor and first governor of color. In 2015, she signed a law removing the Confederate flag from SC Capitol grounds. Haley also served as Trump’s UN ambassador but stepped down in 2018 and now can’t seem to decide how to talk about the former president. Mike Pence…sans fly, he hopes. The former VP — and Trump’s rival after the Jan 6 insurrection — is going for his old boss’s job. He’s said Trump “should never” be president again. When it comes to abortion rights, Pence stands out as the only major candidate in support of a federal ban on abortion at six weeks. Sen. Tim Scott (SC)...known for trying to build bridges. Scott is currently serving as the only Black Republican senator and views himself first as a biblical leader rather than a Republican or conservative. He’s addressed systemic racism, while also previously saying, “America is not a racist country.” Vivek Ramaswamy…the former pharma exec and the GOP’s breakout candidate. The son of Indian immigrants, he supports restoring "merit for who gets to come into America” by “securing the border unapologetically.“ As the GOP’s own Andrew Yang (even according to Andrew Yang), expect the moderators to try and shake his extreme self-confidence. And the others?They are: North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. Expect Christie to bring the repartee. Expect moderators and Fox News anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum to bring up Trump’s indictments, abortion, and other talkers. theSkimm The Republican debate kicks off the 2024 election. Now, as nearly a dozen candidates join the crowded field, there’s only one who has the party’s full attention. But with Trump offstage, they’ll each be vying for the mic for a chance to catch up to his massive lead. |