Politics

2nd GOP Presidential Debate Held Without Trump

SEP 28 2023·Updated AUG 27

Story

Image credit: Flickr [via Wikimedia Commons]

The Facts

On Wednesday night, Republican presidential hopefuls sparred during the party's second primary debate of the season at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California, with several candidates criticizing the absence of former Pres. Donald Trump.
The Associated Press
Seven candidates took part in the debate, with former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson no longer qualifying to take part. While Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis described Trump as "missing in action," former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called him "Donald Duck" in reference to his absence.
NPR Online News
Candidates further discussed immigration and drug trafficking across the US southern border with Mexico, America's relationship with China, funding for Ukraine, and environmental policy, among other topics.
CBS News
When asked by Fox News moderator Dana Perino which individual should next be removed from the Republican primary race, no candidate provided an answer. Perino prefaced the question by claiming that if all candidates were to continue their bid, Trump would win the nomination.
The Hill
A snap poll by JL Partners, carrying a 4.2% margin of error based on data from 546 Republican viewers in the hour after the debate finished, found that 27% saw Trump as the winner of the debate — despite his absence — with Vivek Ramaswamy sitting in second at 26%, and DeSantis third with 17%.
Daily Mail
Trump, who – according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll – leads DeSantis by 37%, chose rather to speak to autoworkers in the state of Michigan amid national strikes in the sector.
Reuters

Sources Split

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The Spin

Democratic narrative

The Republican debate was an embarrassing one, a product merely of chaos and hate. Furthermore, without the presence of the party's clear leader in the polls, the entire event can only be deemed pointless. With another primary debate scheduled for November in Miami, the right's painful march toward an election over a year away is set to drag on despite a lack of enthusiasm for anything Republicans have to offer.

Guardian

Republican narrative

While the debate displayed a talented crop of candidates, only one can be a viable Trump opponent, which is why the GOP must stand behind a singular candidate. In all likeliness, the party must pick between Nikki Haley or Ron DeSantis, and move away from the sideshow of multiple inevitably unsuccessful candidates taking shots at each other and toward the meaningful policy discussion the GOP has to offer.

New York Post

Pro-Trump narrative

While candidates for the best loser within the Republican Party attempted to criticize Trump's absence, the content of the debate itself merely proved why such a decision by the former president was wise. There will be no notable change in polling as a consequence of any candidate's performance, and there continues to be no need for Trump to show up to events promoting politicians that the American people don't take seriously.

The Western Journal